WALES

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the monetary value is of contracts her Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

David Jones: Nil.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if her Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

David Jones: The Wales Office will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Ryder Cup

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether officials of her Department plan to attend the 2010 Ryder Cup.

David Jones: No Wales Office officials attended the 2010 Ryder Cup in an official capacity.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Owen Paterson: The latest period for which information is available for the Department as currently configured is from 12 April 2010, when devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly was completed, to 31 August 2010.
	The proportion of invoices paid electronically during this period was 93.1% and 6.9% by cheque.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Owen Paterson: Nil.

Departmental Empty Buildings

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not own any vacant buildings or parcels of land.

Departmental Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken into account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Press

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

Owen Paterson: Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available for the years preceding the completion of devolution on 12 April 2010.
	In the period since 12 April 2010, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has spent £6,346 on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Owen Paterson: Since 7 May 2010 my Department has appointed one member of staff on secondment from the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.

Intelligence Services

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions of the St. Andrews Agreement govern the transfer of intelligence material to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Owen Paterson: Where issues arise within the transferred policing and justice field which have a national security dimension or which touch on national security-related issues, arrangements are in place for consultation and the sharing of information between the Secretary of State and the Minister of Justice. This includes regular meetings at ministerial level, and ad hoc information exchange as necessary. Insofar as it touched on the matter, the St Andrews Agreement dealt primarily with the transfer of primacy, from the PSNI to the Security Service, for the handling of national security intelligence in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the remit is of the funding review of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; how the review will carry out its work; and if he will make a statement.

Hugo Swire: I am not aware of any specific review of funding of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). A review of management structures is underway-this is not being undertaken by Government but has been commissioned by the Commission independently. Details of the review can be found in letters deposited in the Library of the House (reference: DEP2010-1623). The Government-wide spending review affects the Human Rights Commission as it does all aspects of public spending. Correspondence between my department and the NIHRC on the subject of the spending review can also be found in the Library of the House (reference: DEP2010-1623).

Presbyterian Mutual Society

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made towards a resolution for savers affected by the current situation of the Presbyterian Mutual Society.

Owen Paterson: I have been chairing regular meetings of the Ministerial Working Group, with the aim of finding a just and fair resolution for those PMS members who have been unable to access their investments since October 2008. In recent months we have made considerable progress, and we hope to be able to announce the way forward shortly.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2010,  Official Report, column 945W, on departmental consultants, whether research was commissioned by his Department into voters' perceptions following the Scottish Parliament elections in  (a) 1999 and  (b) 2003.

David Mundell: It is not normal practice for the Government to commission research into voters' perceptions following elections. Starting with the 2003 election, the Electoral Commission has had a statutory responsibility to report on the administration of Scottish Parliament elections and, as part of its fact finding role in connection with their reports, it commissions research into voters' perceptions.

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2010,  Official Report, column 945W, on departmental consultants, what the terms of reference were of the research commissioned through Quadrant consultants into voters' perceptions following the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the research.

David Mundell: The objectives of the research were:
	To obtain a quantitative evaluation of voters' responses to key questions on the overnight count and ballot paper design.
	To develop a qualitative understanding of voters' reasoning behind their responses to the above issues.
	To explore voters' personal experiences of elections both in 2007 and in previous years.
	To make an assessment of the level of confidence voters currently have in the electoral system and the likely impact of the proposed changes/solutions on their confidence in the short and medium-term future.
	To explore additional electoral issues, specifically:
	Voters' experiences of the voting process, i.e. how easy do they find it?
	Postal vs. personal voting.
	Voters' experiences of their contact with electoral staff.
	To what extent the different approaches for different types of elections make the process confusing.
	Methods by which voting could be improved/made easier.
	I have arranged for a copy of the research report to be placed in the House Library. The report has been available on the Scotland Office website since 24 June 2008.

Elections: Ballot Papers

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what testing has been undertaken on ballot paper designs for the Scottish Parliament elections scheduled for May next year.

David Mundell: The ballot papers for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election take account of the recommendations made by Ron Gould in his report on the May 2007 elections and the views expressed by voters who took part in the research undertaken by Quadrant Consultants on behalf of the Scotland Office during May and June 2008. They have been designed in accordance with the Electoral Commission's guidance on ballot paper design contained: "Making your mark: Good practice for designing voter materials: guidance for government policy-makers".

Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he wrote to  (a) the Scottish Government,  (b) the Scottish Trades Union Congress and  (c) the Confederation of British Industry to suggest that it participates in a second jobs summit.

Michael Moore: I hosted a roundtable meeting on employment and related matters with a group of key partners from the public, private and third sectors on 24 September. Organisations represented included the Scottish Government, the STUC, a range of business organisations, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Scotland's Colleges, Enable Scotland, the Poverty Alliance, and employability providers from the private and social enterprise sectors.

Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many  (a) public and  (b) private sector jobs he expects to be (i) lost and (ii) created in Scotland during the course of the present Parliament.

Michael Moore: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts that UK employment will rise by around 1.4 million over the next five years and that, although public sector employment is falling, in three years time it will be 150,000 higher than the OBR forecast based on the March 2010 budget. In Scotland, the Fraser of Allander Institute's most recent forecast shows economy-wide net growth of almost 15,000 jobs in 2011 and over 36,000 jobs in 2012. The Government are committed to tackling the country's record deficit, to allow for sustainable and balanced growth led by the private sector.

Ministers of Religion

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed the Act of Settlement with  (a) faith leaders in Scotland,  (b) ministerial colleagues and  (c) others.

Michael Moore: As the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform explained in the Adjournment Debate on 1 July 2010,  Official Report, column 1109, the Government have not ruled out any change to the Act of Settlement, but if we are to undertake change, we need to do it in a careful and thoughtful way. Where future change is considered, I will discuss this with my ministerial colleagues, faith leaders and others with an interest in this issue.

Public Expenditure

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on (i) the Scottish budget since devolution and (ii) the draft Scottish budget for 2010-11.

Michael Moore: No recent research has been commissioned regarding the Scottish Budget since devolution nor on the draft Scottish Budget for 2010-11. The Scottish Government's Independent Budget Review Panel published their report in July and it showed that there has been an annually growing budget in the first 10 years of the Scottish Parliament. However, tackling the record budget deficit and achieving sustainable, balanced, private-sector-led economic growth are the Government's priorities for the duration of this Parliament. Tackling the deficit is unavoidable and while there will have to be cuts in order to restore health to the public finances, the forthcoming spending review will be a crucial stepping stone on the way to recovery.

Unemployment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the reasons for which the rate of worklessness in Scotland is rising at a faster rate than the equivalent figure across the UK.

Michael Moore: The figures for worklessness for the three months to June 2010 published by the Office for National Statistics in September highlight the scale of the problem inherited by the Government. They demonstrate very clearly that the system supported by previous Governments is failing families in our country. That is why the Government are moving forward with a work programme which will offer personalised support to people on a range of benefits to help lift them out of worklessness and into employment.
	I discussed this at a roundtable meeting on employment, welfare and poverty I hosted on 24 September with a group of key partners from the public, private and third sectors. At that event, Dr Jim McCormick, Scotland Adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, shared the findings of their 'Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in Scotland 2010' report which was published on 22 September 2010.

Unemployment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with  (a) the Scottish Trades Union Congress,  (b) the Confederation of British Industry,  (c) the Federation of Small Businesses and  (d) the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on unemployment trends in Scotland.

Michael Moore: The economic problems that this Government have inherited and their impact on employment have been key topics of the meetings I have had with a range of organisations since I took office. On 24 September I hosted a roundtable meeting with key organisations from the public, private and third sectors to discuss unemployment and related matters. The STUC and a range of business organisations were in attendance. I will continue to engage with these and other organisations.

PRIME MINISTER

Palestinians

Ian Austin: To ask the Prime Minister whether he had discussions with the  (a) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and  (b) Israeli government on his description of Gaza as a prison camp.

David Cameron: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 1W.

Tony Blair

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister whether Government facilities have been made available to Tony Blair since June 2007; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: As with all former Prime Ministers, Mr Blair is provided with access to Government resources as appropriate.

EDUCATION

Academies

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent progress his Department has made in implementing its academies programme.

Nick Gibb: The recent National Audit Office report confirms that many academies are performing impressively and the academies open the longest have shown significant and sustained improvement. We now have 322 academies open, 119 of which opened this autumn. This is record progress; it took four years for the first 27 academies to open.

Academies

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have asked to withdraw their name from the list of those which have expressed an interest in becoming an academy.

Nick Gibb: As of 9 September, around 180 schools have decided they no longer want to be registered as having an interest in converting to academy status. Schools may choose to express an interest or withdraw their interest at any time; they may also choose to re-register, so the numbers will change on an ongoing basis. At the last published update, registrations of interest had been received from 1,039 outstanding schools and 870 other schools. We will keep lists updated regularly on:
	www.education.gov.uk/academies

Academies

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many expressions of interest in academy status his Department has received from schools in  (a) South Northamptonshire constituency and  (b) England.

Nick Gibb: As of 29 September 2010, 31 expressions of interest in academy status had been received from schools in South Northamptonshire. A total of 2,040 expressions of interest had been received from schools in England.

Academies

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether Roman Catholic schools which become academies may retain selective admissions criteria.

Nick Gibb: All maintained schools and academies are required to adopt admission arrangements which comply with the School Admissions Code. Catholic maintained schools are all voluntary aided. This means that the governing body is the admission authority and can decide whether or not to adopt faith admission criteria. Academy trusts are the admission authorities for their schools which means that, on conversion, it will be able to maintain its current admission arrangements. So if an existing Catholic maintained school that selected by faith became an academy, it would be able to continue prioritising on the basis of faith if oversubscribed.
	Any entirely new faith academies-where there is no existing maintained faith school-will be required to admit 50% of their intake without reference to faith when oversubscribed. This is in order to give a broad range of local pupils access to new academy provision and will not affect converting maintained schools, which will be able to retain their existing arrangements.
	If a faith school that has converted to academy status wishes to change its admission arrangements, it will be required to consult locally in line with admissions law and the School Admissions Code.

Academies

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the articles of association of an Academy Trust operating a Catholic school allow  (a) a majority of foundation governors to be appointed by a religious trusteeship and  (b) the posts of headteacher, deputy headteacher and head of religious education to be reserved for practising Catholics.

Nick Gibb: The Academy Model Articles of Association provide for a structure which would allow those who are setting up the academy trust (for example the existing governing body of a converting Catholic school) to decide who should be the members of the academy trust. The members are in turn responsible for deciding who should appoint, and who should be, the governors of the academy trust. Where the school has an existing foundation-for example in the case of voluntary aided faith schools-we would expect that foundation to be the lead member of the new academy trust which could then appoint a majority of the governors. There is no impediment to the members of the academy trust agreeing that a majority of foundation governors be appointed by a religious trusteeship.
	Similarly, section 124A of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 allows academies with a religious character to take faith into account in the appointment of its-teachers, including the posts of head teacher, deputy head teacher and head of religious education. This means that an academy designated as a Catholic school would have equivalent freedoms in this area to a voluntary aided school in the maintained sector.

Youth Facilities: Funding

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals for long-term funding of youth facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has not yet made a decision on funding for youth facilities beyond March 2011. As the hon. Lady will know the Government are undertaking a comprehensive spending review and Ministers will shortly announce their spending priorities.

Special Educational Needs

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent progress his Department has made on its proposed Green Paper on children and young people with special educational needs.

Sarah Teather: I will publish a Green Paper later this year to look at a wide range of issues for children with special educational needs and disabilities. I have been meeting a range of people, including parents, teachers, local authorities, charities and other groups and considering the findings of recent reviews, including the most recent report from the Office for Standards in Education. A call for views was published on 10 September and closes on 15 October.

Academies: Catholicism

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether Catholic schools which wish to achieve academy status may retain the right to select a proportion of pupils on the basis of their Catholic faith.

Nick Gibb: All maintained schools and academies are required to adopt admission arrangements which comply with the School Admissions Code. Schools must be designated a faith school in order to prioritise admissions on the basis of faith if oversubscribed. Catholic maintained schools are all voluntary aided. This means that the governing body is the admission authority and can decide whether or not to adopt faith admission criteria. Academy trusts are the admission authorities for their schools which means that, on conversion, it will be able to maintain its current admission arrangements. So if an existing Catholic maintained school that selected by faith became an academy, it would be able to continue prioritising on the basis of faith if oversubscribed.

Academies: Governing Bodies

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether new academy schools will be required to have  (a) elected parent governors,  (b) elected staff governors and  (c) local authority nominated governors.

Nick Gibb: The academies governing body should include at least two parent governors and the principal. Academies are free to choose whether to have a staff governor or local authority governor.

Academies: Worcester

Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what expressions of interest in academy status his Department has received from primary schools  (a) nationally and  (b) in Worcester.

Nick Gibb: As at 29 September 2010, 910 primary schools nationally had registered an interest in academy status. We have received five registrations of interest from primary schools in the constituency of Worcester.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  whether  (a) Wandsworth and  (b) other London boroughs will not receive Building Schools for the Future (BSF) funding as a consequence of being in later waves of the BSF programme;
	(2)  how much Building Schools for the Future funding was initially allocated to Wandsworth; and whether that funding will now be provided to the borough.

Nick Gibb: On 5 July, the Department announced that BSF projects that have reached financial close will continue, together with repeat projects which have outline business case approval prior to 1 January 2010. All projects that have not reached close of dialogue will stop with immediate effect. On 6 August, the Department announced that all sample schools would also go ahead. These criteria apply to Wandsworth, to all other London boroughs and to all authorities throughout England.
	The London borough of Wandsworth's Building Schools for the Future project was allocated an indicative £333 million none of which has been spent to date. Further funding will not be allocated to the borough until the capital review has been completed.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to make a decision in respect of Building Schools for the Future funding for  (a) Wade Deacon and  (b) The Grange School.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 20 July 2010
	BSF projects in a local authority's initial BSF scheme are continuing where Financial Close has been reached for the scheme, as will projects subsequent to their area's initial scheme which have Outline Business Case approval prior to 1 January 2010.
	On 6 August the Department announced that 33 sample school projects, including UCL academy in Camden, and 119 additional academy projects will proceed. The 44 academies at the most advanced stage in their capital planning with Partnerships for Schools will receive capital now. Capital allocations for the remaining 75 will be decided in the spending review.
	Wade Deacon and The Grange School are among the 33 sample schools and have now been allocated capital.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 47-57, on education funding, when the final criteria to determine action to be taken on each  (a) Building Schools for the Future project and  (b) Academy application were decided; and what consultation took place with (i) local authorities and (ii) Partnerships for Schools on those matters before decisions were made.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 22 July 2010
	The Secretary of State had wide-ranging discussions during May, June and July and took into account information from a range of sources in taking his decisions on Building Schools for the Future projects and Academies. The Secretary of State worked closely with Partnerships for Schools during this time, drawing on their strong working relationships with local authorities in the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from Stockton on Tees Borough Council on school building projects; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: On 5 July the Secretary of State announced a review of all areas of DfE capital spending. Its purpose is to ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money and strongly supports the Government's ambitions to reduce the deficit, raise standards and tackle disadvantage. While he announced that the Building Schools for the Future programme is ending, this does not mean the end of capital investment by this Department.
	The Secretary of State has received a letter from Councillor Mrs Ann McCoy, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what criteria his Department has used to decide which proposed projects should not received Building Schools for the Future funding.

Nick Gibb: BSF developments are being maintained for three groups of schools:
	those in a local authority area's initial BSF scheme where Financial Close has been reached;
	the first, or "sample", schools due to be taken forward in a local authority area where Financial Close has not been reached but where very significant work has been undertaken, to the point of appointing a preferred bidder at "close of dialogue"; and
	some schools with planned projects subsequent to their authority's initial scheme-projects with Outline Business Cases approved before 1 January 2010.
	All other BSF funding has been stopped for schools.

Departmental Buildings

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the  (a) name and  (b) address is of each building (i) leased and (ii) owned by his Department; on what date his Department began occupying each such property; what the book value is of each such property; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education occupies the following properties:
	
		
			  Property name  Address  Tenure  Date occupied  Value (£) 
			 Sanctuary Buildings Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT Leasehold 11 November 1991 n/a 
			 2 St Pauls Place 125 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S12FL Ground lease 28 June 2010 22,390,000 
			 Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, WA7 2DB Freehold 1 April 1993 7,500,000 
			 Mowden Hall Staindrop Road, Darlington, DL3 9BG Freehold 18 March 1966 2,835,000 
			 Nursery Kenwood Park Road, Sheffield, S7 1NF Freehold 20 September 2001 475,000 
		
	
	The nursery is run by the company Bright Horizons for use by the staff of Sheffield based Government Departments.
	In addition, the Department has responsibility for the following lease commitments which were all former Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) properties with the exception of 200 Great Dover Street which was formerly an area office for the Manpower Services Commission.
	
		
			  Property name  Address  Date occupied and lease term  Current status 
			 200 Great Dover Street London, SE1 4WU 23 February 1987 to 22 June 2011 sub-let 
			 Atlas House St Georges Square, Bolton, BL1 2HB 25 March 1990 to 25 March 2015 vacant 
			 Bayley House St Georges Square, Bolton, BL1 2HB 25 June 1989 to 24 June 2014 Partial sub-let 
			 Blenheim Court Peppercorn Close, Peterborough, PE12DU 10 August 1990 to 9 August 2015 vacant 
			 Brandon Court Units E1-3, Leofric Business Park, Coventry, CV3 2TE 24 June 1990 to 23 June 2015 Partial sub-let 
			 Enterprise House Wobaston Road, Pendeford Business Park, Wolverhampton, WV9 5HA 6 April 1992 to 5 April 2017 sub-let 
			 Manorgate House 2 Manorgate Road, Kingston on Thames, KT2 7AL 23 March 1990 to 22 March 2015 Partial sub-let 
			 The Oaks Clews Road, Redditch, B98 7ST 29 September 1990 to 28 September 2015 sub-let 
			 Acorn Business Park Unit 4, Moss Road, Grimsby, DN32 OLT 25 March 1990 to 24 March 2015 sub-let 
		
	
	All surplus space is marketed both through the Government Property Unit and commercially through our property agents, DTZ.

Departmental Buildings

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what  (a) building and  (b) refurbishment projects were undertaken by his Department in each of the last five years; and what the costs were of each such project.

Tim Loughton: There has been one refurbishment project in the last five years which was the refurbishment of Sanctuary Buildings our London headquarters. The costs were incurred from an estate rationalisation and maintenance programme that resulted in the Department vacating and disposing of one of its two HQ buildings and consolidating its occupation within a single building, Sanctuary Buildings. This has achieved ongoing annual savings of £13 million in running costs with a payback on the capital investment within 16 months.
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 2006/07 2,175,000 
			 2007/08 6,827,036 
			 2008/09 4,099,898 
			 2009/10 3,585,353 
			 2010/11 (1)- 
			 (1) No spend. 
		
	
	There was also a single building project undertaken at our new premises at 2 St Paul's Place, Sheffield. This was for the fit-out of the building prior to staff occupation and included mechanical and electrical installations, carpets and fittings, security and environmental controls. The project cost £4,160,893 and was undertaken between 2009/10 and 2010/11.

Departmental Communication

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what instructions have been issued by the private office of each Minister in his Department on the preparation of briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education ensures that guidance is issued to staff on the departmental intranet. The guidance sets out each Minister's preferences for briefing, speeches and replies to official correspondence. These are reviewed regularly to ensure that Ministers are able to fulfil their duties to Parliament and the public to the highest standards possible.

Departmental Internet

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its predecessor spent on search engine biasing with (i) Google and (ii) other search engines in each of the last five years.

Tim Loughton: The Department's expenditure on paid for search engine marketing, through the Central Office of Information, was £511,923 in 2008/09 and £811,132 in 2009/10.
	To supply information for previous years and to separate expenditure for Google from that of other search engines would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
	No money was spent on search engine biasing.

Departmental Manpower

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers are employed by his Department at each Civil Service pay grade.

Michael Gove: The Department has two special advisors, one at pay band 1 and one at pay band 2.
	The Department currently employs 21 full time equivalent press officers. A breakdown by grade is outlined in the following table.
	
		
			  Grade  Number 
			 Information Officer 7 
			 Senior Information Officer 8 
			 Grade 7 4 
			 Grade-6 1 
			 Senior Civil Service 1

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State and Ministers hosted two briefing events in July 2010 to meet approximately 50 stakeholders from across the education sector to outline policy priorities and to listen to their views. To keep costs to a minimum the events were hosted in the Department. The total cost was £465.15.
	All expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on public spending control, under which budgetary headings he expects his Department to make savings of £1 billion in fiscal year 2010-11.

Tim Loughton: Work is still ongoing to identify the budget areas where the £1 billion reduction in end year flexibility (EYF) will be taken from, and will be working on the implications as part of our work on the spending review.
	£156.5 million of savings have already been identified from capital budgets in the following areas:
	
		
			   Saving (£ million) 
			 Co-location projects-cancelling projects where progress has not been satisfactory or is not good value for money 24.0 
			 School swimming-cancelling capital investment in school swimming pools due to low take-up of the offer 15.0 
			 Eco-towns contribution-not funding pilot work on energy efficient schools in the CLG led eco-towns initiative 2.5 
			 Harnessing Technology Grant-a further reduction to take this year's funding down to £100 million, allowing schools to reconfigure their broadband and IT infrastructure projects onto a more sustainable funding model 50.0 
			 14 to 19 diplomas, SEN and disabilities-cutting allocations to the 76 LAs which were not included in early BSF waves and were therefore allocated £8 million each to support investment in SEN or diploma provision. Their allocations will be reduced by c £660,000 50.0 
			 Social Work IT support-not proceeding with plans announced just before the election of a formulaic allocation to LAs to improve social work IT provision 15.0 
			 Total 156.5 
		
	
	EYF is a mechanism whereby Departments may carry forward unspent departmental expenditure limit (DEL) provision into later financial years.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which single tenders have been authorised by his Department since his appointment.

Tim Loughton: A complete answer to this question could only be provided at disproportionate costs as my Department does not keep a central record of all single tender authorisations. However, we do have a central record of all single tender authorisations under the category of consultancy and I can tell the hon. Member that one single tender has been authorised. That was for Dame Clare Tickell's services as chair of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) review.

Free Schools

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism will be available to ensure the accountability of new free schools to  (a) Ministers and  (b) parents; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We expect the vast majority of free schools to be funded via a funding agreement. As for academies, the funding agreement will set the terms and conditions under which the free school must operate and free schools will be held accountable by the Secretary of State for their performance. We will continue to evaluate the academies and free schools programme. During the passage of the Academies Act 2010 we also agreed that we would provide Parliament with regular reports on the progress and performance of the academies and free schools programme.
	In line with other state-funded schools, free schools will be required to collect performance data, publish their results and be inspected by Ofsted. Parents with concerns will be able to request an Ofsted inspection.

Free Schools

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of free schools likely to be created under his Department's proposals in the next five years.

Nick Gibb: There has been a high level of interest in the free schools programme and the Department for Education is working with proposers to develop their ideas. Our intention is to be permissive, not prescriptive. The number of projects taken forward over the next five years will depend on the level of parental demand and the quality of proposals that come forward.

Free Schools

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many expressions of interest in establishing free schools the New Schools Network has passed on to his Department.

Nick Gibb: The point at which the Department receives formal notice of applications is when groups put in a proposal form. Many, though not all, of those groups will have received advice from the New Schools Network. However it is the proposers who choose to notify the DfE of their wish to set up a school when they feel they are prepared adequately, not the New Schools Network.

Free Schools

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to bring forward draft regulations for the registration and monitoring of free schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Free schools will be set up as academies under existing legislation and will be held to account in the same way as other academies.

Free Schools: North East

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications in respect of his Department's proposed free schools have been received from groups in the North East.

Nick Gibb: As at 27 September 2010 the Department has received two Free School proposals from groups in the North East region, both of which are within the Stockton local authority area.

GCSE

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of candidates achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in each  (a) selective,  (b) partially selective and  (c) comprehensive school in each local education authority in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The percentage of candidates achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in 2009 is published for each individual school in each local authority and available on the departmental website. The admission basis in each maintained school is also given:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_09.shtml
	Code descriptions for admission basis can be found in the Glossary and abbreviations page
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_09/glossary.shtml
	Figures for all schools in 2009 are also available in a publication file that has been added to the House Libraries.

Local Education Partnerships: Skanska

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how much has been paid to the building contractor Skanska in each of the Local Education Partnerships (LEPs) in which Skanska is active in each year since LEPs were established;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of Local Education Partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Skanksa have been appointed main contractor on two Local Education Partnerships (LEPs) schemes, Bristol and Essex. Partnership for Schools (PfS) does not hold information on how much money is paid to individual building contractors. The funding provided to the local authorities which in turn pay LEPs is as follows.
	Since the creation of the Bristol LEP in Financial Year 2007-08 Bristol City Council has been paid the following amounts:
	
		
			  Capital grant for design and build schools 
			  Financial year  Capital grant (£ million) 
			 2007-08 3.6 
			 2008-09 29.0 
			 2009-10 85.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Revenue support for PFI schemes 
			  Financial year  Revenue (£ million) 
			 2007-08 7.6 
			 2008-09 12.1 
			 2009-10 12.1 
		
	
	Local Education Partnerships are being reviewed as part of the wider review of schools capital.

New Schools Network

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what account the appointment of the New Schools Network took of the provisions of  (a) the Public Contracts Regulations 2008 and  (b) his Department's guidance on procurement;
	(2)  whether the exemption from procurement procedures applicable to single tendering was invoked in respect of the New Schools Network;
	(3)  what criteria he used when awarding the New Schools Network a contract; and whether the Compact Commissioning Guidance was taken into account.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 September 2010
	On 18 June 2010 the Department agreed to enter into a £500,000 grant agreement with the New Schools Network (NSN) to provide support for groups wanting to find out more about setting-up a free school. NSN has championed the development of parent and teacher promoted schools and has been providing advice and support to those interested in establishing new schools since 2009, as well as developing networks among interested groups and individuals. This makes NSN ideally placed to fulfil the role for an initial period.
	Officials are currently finalising the grant details which will take account the relevant regulations and agreements.

Placement Orders

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many placement orders were authorised by (a) Cambridgeshire County Council and (b) Staffordshire County Council in each of the last three years; and whether the Government plan to review the powers of local authorities to apply for placement orders.

Tim Loughton: The requested information is available as part of Statistical First Release: Children Looked After in England (including adoption and care leavers). Information for 2009 can be accessed via the Department's website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000878/index.shtml
	Table LAA11 gives information on the number of placement orders granted for each local authority for year ending 31 March 2009. This can be found in the Excel link titled (3rd set of additional tables).
	Information for 2008 can be accessed at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000810/index.shtml
	Table LAA11 can be found in the Excel link titled (2nd set of additional tables). Information for 2007 can be accessed at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000741/index.shtml
	Table LAA11 can be found in the Excel link titled (2nd set of additional tables).
	I am examining the adoption process to consider how best to remove barriers and delays to adoption, but have no immediate plans to review the power of local authorities to apply for placement orders.

Primary Education: Merton

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of primary school places required in  (a) the London Borough of Merton and  (b) Wimbledon constituency in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14, (iv) 2014-15 and (iv) 2019-20.

Nick Gibb: It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage the supply and demand for primary school places in its area and secure a place for every child of statutory school age. Ministers play no role in deciding primary school provision in individual authorities and constituencies but the Department provides capital funding to enable local authorities to provide sufficient school places.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school pupils will receive the pre-paid premium in Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.

Nick Gibb: On 26 July, the Secretary of State for Education announced in his written ministerial statement the launch of the consultation on school funding arrangements for 2011-12. The details as to how pupils would be classified as entitled to the pupil premium are part of this consultation.
	Copies of the consultation document can be found in the House Libraries and on our website
	http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/

Schools: Admissions

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the new academy schools will be encouraged to adopt banded admissions policies to ensure all-ability intakes.

Nick Gibb: Academies, as with other admission authorities, are required to follow the Admissions Code.
	This gives academies the flexibility to adopt the admission arrangements which are the most appropriate for children and parents in their areas, within a clear overall framework.
	Banded admissions can therefore play a part in current admissions arrangements, but we do not intend to be prescriptive.

Schools: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to refurbish primary and secondary schools in Coventry.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 23 June 2010
	The Department is reviewing all capital programmes. This includes the Buildings Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and the Primary Capital Programme. The Department has announced that BSF projects that have reached financial close will continue, together with repeat projects which have outline business case approval prior to 1 January 2010.
	On 6 August, the Secretary of State announced that BSF 'sample projects' and some academies would continue to be funded as part of the BSF programme. All projects that have not reached close of dialogue have stopped with immediate effect.
	Funding allocations to support local delivery of the Primary Capital Programme have already been confirmed for the current financial year. Decisions about the specific projects that will benefit from this funding are entirely matters for the relevant local authority.
	All capital programmes are being considered as part of the comprehensive spending review and the capital review.

Schools: Finance

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of total spending on maintained schools is allocated to  (a) teaching staff and  (b) all staff costs.

Nick Gibb: The total net spend on maintained schools in the financial year 2008-09 was £32.3 billion. Of this, £18.9 billion was spent on teaching staff, representing 58.5% of the total. The cost of all staff (including teaching staff) was £22.7 billion, representing 70.2% of the total.

Schools: Greater London

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of secondary schools in London have expressed interest in becoming an academy.

Nick Gibb: As of 10 September, 116 maintained secondary schools in London had registered an interest in academy status. At the point that schools were invited to register an interest in applying for academy status, on 26 May 2010, there were 376 maintained secondary schools in London. This represents 31% of maintained secondary schools.
	The list of schools that have registered an interest in becoming an Academy is published at:
	www.education.gov.uk/academies
	and will be updated on a regular basis.

Schools: Listed Buildings

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many projects in the Building Schools for the Future programme have been affected by an English Heritage listing decision during the design period since the inception of the programme;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the level of expenditure incurred in the Building Schools for the Future programme as a result of the listing of school buildings by English Heritage since the inception of the programme;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of English Heritage on the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Nick Gibb: Information about the number of projects and the level of expenditure incurred in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme as a result of the listing of school buildings by English Heritage is not held centrally.
	There have been no recent discussions between the Secretary of State and representatives of English Heritage on the BSF programme.

Schools: Oldham

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will examine the case for a new Catholic high school in Oldham following the merger of Our Lady's, Royton and St Augustine, Werneth.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 July 2010
	 Under current legislation local authorities are responsible for planning and securing sufficient and suitable maintained schools in their area. Where changes are proposed, a statutory process must be followed which is decided under established local decision making arrangements. The proposals from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford to establish a new voluntary aided Roman Catholic secondary school in Oldham on 1 September 2012 to replace two closing Roman Catholic schools-Our Lady's RC High School and St Augustine of Canterbury RC High School-were approved on 23 March 2009.
	The Secretary of State's announcement on 6 August included an allocation of capital for the proposed new Roman Catholic school in Oldham.

Schools: Sports

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had on assisting schools to provide sport in schools for children with  (a) mental health disabilities and  (b) physical disabilities.

Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State has not, as of yet, had discussions on assisting schools to provide sport in schools for children with mental health disabilities and physical disabilities. However, on 28 June my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport announced the creation of an Olympic and Paralympic-style competition to encourage schools to provide more competitive school sport. This new competition, funded through the lottery, will be inclusive and will create competitive sports for disabled pupils at all levels, with the national finals showcasing the best in Olympic and Paralympic sport. At school level, the initial pilots will include at least 25 special schools and a further 25 schools will consider how to involve disabled pupils in mainstream schools. Further details of this national competition framework will be announced later this year.

Schools: Standards

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2010,  Official Report, column 193W, on schools: standards, for what reasons his Department does not hold information on which local authorities do not undertake school organisation plans following the removal of the requirement to do so in 2004; if he will make it his policy to collect such information; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We have made it easier for free schools and Academies to be established by new groups, including outstanding teachers, independently of local authorities. Within that context, we do not see it as part of the role of central Government to collect routine information about proposed school reorganisation plans within local authorities.

Secondary Education: Gravesham

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on improving secondary school provision in Gravesham constituency.

Nick Gibb: Although the Department has not received specific representations from others, my hon. Friend wrote to the Secretary of State recently to clarify local authority powers to require schools to admit pupils above their published admissions number where there is a shortage of places.
	We want all parents to have access to a good school, and our new academies and free schools policies are designed to address this, providing more choice for parents and the necessary freedoms to drive up standards across the country.

Special Educational Needs: Academies

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how he plans to ensure sufficient funding for academies for  (a) special educational needs support services,  (b) behaviour support services,  (c) education welfare services,  (d) school meals,  (e) pupils' support and  (f) staffing costs.

Nick Gibb: Academies' General Annual Grant has a budget share element based on the relevant local authority's school funding formula, together with a grant (Local Authority Central Spend Equivalent Grant) which is intended to replace local authority services provided to maintained schools and is calculated on the basis of the authority's spending level on those services. The services listed are funded as follows:
	
		
			  Service/Cost  Element of General Annual Grant 
			 Special needs support services Budget share and/or LACSEG depending on local authority arrangements 
			 Behaviour support services LACSEG 
			 Education welfare LACSEG 
			 School meals Budget share 
			 Pupil support LACSEG 
			 Staffing costs Budget share and LACSEG 
		
	
	The basis of funding for academies from the academic year 2011/12 onwards is the subject of a review, announced on 26 July 2010 as part of the school funding consultation document issued on that day. This review is based on the principle that conversion to academy status should not bring financial advantage or disadvantage; and that local authority responsibility for services should be properly recognised in the financial arrangements.

Special Educational Needs: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what capital funding he plans to make available to schools for children with special educational needs in Sunderland.

Nick Gibb: On 5 July the Secretary of State announced a review of all areas of the Department for Education's capital spending, including funding for special educational needs schools. Its purpose is to ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money and enables us to build more for less. We will use its advice to focus capital spending on key need. All future capital funding, including for schools in Sunderland, is subject to the outcome of the capital review and the comprehensive spending review.
	The capital review team will be providing advice to Ministers for use in the comprehensive spending review, and will complete its work by the end of the calendar year.

Teach First

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he will take to ensure that graduates from universities in every region take part in the Teach First programme.

Nick Gibb: Teach First currently directly markets the programme to universities across the UK and overseas, and graduates from every region are able to take part in the Teach First programme. Teach First is currently based in London, midlands, north west, and Yorkshire. The new funding announced by the Secretary of State on 5 July was largely intended to pave the way for further expansion of the Teach First programme into schools in areas not already served by Teach First, including the north east, south west and east of England, ensuring coverage across all regions by 2013/14.

Vocational Guidance

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to make the commencement order to implement the careers education provisions in section 250 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009; and what discussions his Department has had with Ofsted on ensuring that those provisions are taken into account during future inspections of schools in England.

Nick Gibb: The Government are reviewing the provision of careers education and guidance, and the commencement of section 250 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 has been delayed pending that review.
	Schools already have a clear legal obligation to ensure pupils receive information about apprenticeships. The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires schools, in discharging their statutory duty to provide careers education, to provide impartial information and up-to-date materials that present a full range of 16 to 18 education or training options. Ofsted inspections take account of the support provided to pupils, including effective careers education and guidance.

Youth Services: Finance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that youth services are maintained at existing levels following the ending of ring-fenced funding for such services.

Tim Loughton: We are committed to ensuring that our young people continue to receive high quality youth services. This is reflected in our vision for the new National Citizen Service, which will aim to offer every 16-year-old in the UK a personal and social development programme that builds a sense of purpose, optimism and belonging.
	The Government do not set a budget for spending on youth services. Local authorities receive funding from Government through the revenue support grant for youth services and it is for them to decide how much funding should be spent based on Government priorities and local needs.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Press Cuttings

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much the House of Commons Service paid for press cuttings services provided to  (a) the House of Commons Library,  (b) Select Committees of the House and  (c) other officers and bodies of the House (i) in each of the last three months and (ii) in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stuart Bell: Expenditure by the House of Commons Service for press cutting services was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   (i) In each of last three months  (ii) In last 12 months for which figures are available September 2009-August 2010 
			  (a) House of Commons Library 0 0 
			
			  (b) House of Commons Select Committees  13,665 
			 June 2010 803  
			 July 2010 1,018  
			 August 2010 1,331  
			
			  (c) Media and Communications Service( 1)   
			 For House of Commons general:  26,628 
			 June 2010 1,774  
			 July 2010 2,274  
			 August 2010 644  
			
			 For Select Committees, print/online:  29,215 
			 June 2010 1,520  
			 July 2010 2,612  
			 August 2010 1,377  
			 (1) MCS pays for coverage of the work of Select Committees, but a small number of Committees also purchase a service with a wider remit, to inform them of developments in their subject area.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution: EU Law

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to meet air quality targets in EU legislation.

Richard Benyon: The Government take their air quality obligations very seriously, and are committed to working towards full compliance with the air quality limits set down in EU legislation as soon as possible.
	The UK is now compliant with the EU limits for most air quality pollutants. For particulate matter (PM10), EU limits are already met with the exception of very few areas in London. The Government have been working with the Mayor of London, and in May this year, submitted evidence to the European Commission showing that full compliance with the PM10 limits in London is expected by the extended deadline of 2011 as set out in the EU ambient air quality directive (2008/50/EC).
	Outside of urban areas, much of the UK already meets the EU air quality limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) but, along with other EU countries, faces a challenge in achieving the limits in major urban areas, such as London, by the 2010 deadline. We plan to use the provisions in the ambient air quality directive to secure the additional time available (up to 2015) to meet the NO2 limit values. DEFRA is currently in discussions with the Mayor of London, local authorities and other Government Departments, to determine what can be done to achieve the NO2 limit values as soon as possible.

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, for what length of time it is proposed that a regime of licences for badger culling should be in place.

James Paice: The proposal in the consultation on a badger control policy is that licences to cull badgers would cover a fixed period, but not less than four years. It also makes clear that the policy of granting licences will be reviewed after four years, or sooner if any monitoring data show unexpected results or if new evidence or control tools become available (such as an oral badger vaccine and/or cattle vaccine).

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, what criteria will be used by Natural England to determine how many badgers in a proposed cull area may be killed.

James Paice: As set out in the consultation on a badger control policy, to gain a licence to cull, applicants will have to show that culling will achieve badger densities low enough to reduce TB transmission but not lead to local extinction.

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of policing badger culls; and whether she has discussed this with the Association of Chief Police Officers.

James Paice: It is possible that any future culling operation will generate policing costs. However, the scale of any extra policing needed is difficult to quantify at this stage, as it depends on the extent of the threat of any illegal activity. We are currently discussing a range of issues relating to badger control measures with the Association of Chief Police Officers, including costs.

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, whether culling licences will permit farmers to go on to other landowners' property to cull badgers.

James Paice: Culling licences would not permit compulsory access to land for culling. As set out in the consultation document, one of the proposed criteria for a culling licence would be that there is access for culling over at least 70% of the land area.

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, what percentage of landowners in a minimum area of 150 square kilometres will have to take part in an application for a badger culling licence to meet the requirement laid down in the consultation document.

James Paice: As set out in the consultation on a badger control policy, to gain a licence to cull, applicants will have to demonstrate that within the area of at least 150 km(2 )there is access for culling to over 70% of the area.

Badgers: Disease Control

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's consultation on badger control, whether badgers culled under the proposals will undergo post-mortem testing for bovine tuberculosis.

James Paice: Given the extent of evidence already available on the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the badger population, we do not propose to check whether individual badgers are infected with bTB.

Blackwater River: Footpaths

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to protect private property along the Blackwater river from intrusions from the planned coastal path; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Under part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 any private property along the Blackwater river will be protected in the same way as any other coastal property that may be affected by proposals for a coastal route. In order to protect privacy, the right of access to coastal land will not apply to any land used as a garden, or any land covered by buildings or the curtilage of such land.
	Any proposals that Natural England may make for the position of the coastal route along the Blackwater river will be discussed with owners and occupiers of affected land. In addition, owners and occupiers will also be able to object to proposals and any such objections will be considered by the Planning Inspectorate.
	The Secretary of State will make the final decision on the coastal route for a particular stretch of the English coast. In doing so she must strike a fair balance between the interests of the public in having rights of access over land and the interests of any person with a relevant interest in any land that might be affected by the new right of coastal access.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department plans to spend on vaccines against bovine tuberculosis in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

James Paice: Planned expenditure on bovine tuberculosis vaccines during the current financial year (2010-11) is £6.7 million. This includes vaccines research and the Badger Vaccine Deployment Project.
	No decisions on future spend will be made until the results of the spending review are known.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Richard Benyon: The latest data indicate that the average cost of processing and paying an invoice, during the period June to August 2010, is £3.68.
	This includes all of the direct costs attributed to processing the invoice, any returns or rework and payment of the invoice. This cost excludes any apportionment for overheads and systems costs since these relate to all finance processing services and are not directly attributable to any one element of the service.
	98.6% of invoices, during the period June to August 2010, were paid electronically with the remaining 1.4% being paid by cheque.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the monetary value is of contracts her Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Richard Benyon: The monetary value of new contracts awarded by the Department, including its executive agencies, since the 7 May 2010 is as follows.
	 (a) Management consultancy: £84,820
	 (b) IT: £131,534.88.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by her Department in each region.

Richard Benyon: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Core DEFRA  Division  Property reference  Property name  Town  Postcode  Leasehold or freehold  Value (£)  Basis 
			 Core DEFRA Core 54 Thirsk (Sowerby) Buffer Depot Thirsk Y07 1QX Freehold 275,000 Market value as at 31 March 2010 
			 Core DEFRA Core 272 Longbenton VIC-surplus land Newcastle NE12 9SE Freehold 970,000 Market value as at 31 March 2010 
			 Core DEFRA Core 302 Efford Paddock plots x 2 Lymington SO41 0JD Freehold 25,000 Market appraisal as at 1 October 2010 
			 Core DEFRA Core 317 Remaining land at Terrington Farm-Delamore Kings Lynn PE34 4PW Freehold 12,000 Agreed sale price-with solicitors 
			 Core DEFRA Core 317 Terrington-Broadlands Kings Lynn PE34 4PW Freehold 150,000 Agreed sale price-with solicitors 
			 Core DEFRA Core 641 Caversham Road Reading RG1 7BT Leasehold 0 n/a 
			 Core DEFRA Core 564 Ponton Road London SW8 5AX Leasehold 0 n/a 
			 NE NE 741 Genesis 1, York Business Park, Hesslington York YO10 5ZQ Leasehold 0 n/a 
			 NE NE - 4 The Embankment, Sovereign Street Leeds LS1 4BA Leasehold 0 n/a

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2001.

Richard Benyon: The figures in the following table have been extracted from the Department's accounts under the headings 'Purchase of Publications' and 'Subscriptions to Publications' where possible. Figures include the purchase of books and subscriptions to relevant trade internet news services.
	Figures start from 2005 as to obtain them from 2001 would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 1,679,819.41 
			 2006-07 1,411,988.31 
			 2007-08 1,275,260.31 
			 2008-09 1,311,449.05 
			 2009-10 1,261,428.23

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Richard Benyon: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff her Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has appointed two staff on secondment since 7 May 2010, one from the Environment Agency and one from Natural England.
	No secondments have been appointed since the start of the recruitment freeze (24 May).

Flood Control

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future provision of flood prevention services previously provided through the Government office network; and what assessment she has made of the likely effects on flood prevention services of the closure of that Network.

Richard Benyon: On 22 July the Government announced their intention in principle to abolish the remaining Government offices subject to consideration of consequential issues, including which Government office functions need to continue. The spending review process is being used to test which activities should continue, and to decide the most cost-effective way of doing this.
	The final decisions on the future of the Government office network, including the transfer of ongoing functions, will be announced at the end of the spending review in the autumn.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the costs of providing  (a) flood storage on farmland, and other soft forms of flood defence and  (b) physical flood defences, walls and other hard forms of flood defence.

Richard Benyon: Options for managing flood risk are considered on a case by case basis by the responsible operating authorities (the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards). The cost will vary from place to place depending on local circumstances.
	DEFRA's guidance is that all technically feasible options should be considered and appraised in an open, transparent and comparable way to establish which is the most cost-effective and appropriate. Options should include flood storage and other 'soft' forms of flood defence, as well as 'hard' defences such as flood defence walls and embankments.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with  (a) the Environment Agency,  (b) the Association of Drainage Authorities and  (c) other interested parties on the apportionment of responsibility for dredging and maintenance of main watercourses.

Richard Benyon: Ministers have regular discussions with the Environment Agency, the Association of Drainage Authorities and other organisations in relation to the efficient and effective management of flood risk from all sources, including main rivers. The Environment Agency is currently in discussions with internal drainage boards about dredging and maintenance of some stretches of main rivers.

Flood Control: Expenditure

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department allocated for the purpose of flood prevention to  (a) local authorities and  (b) Swindon Borough Council in each of the last three years.

Richard Benyon: Local authority expenditure is supported primarily through Formula Grant from central Government and through capital grants from the Environment Agency (the latter are issued under delegation from DEFRA).
	Formula Grant is "unhypothecated block grant", which means that local authorities are free to spend it on any service. The calculations carried out include adjustments such as "floor damping," which guarantees every authority receives a minimum change year-on-year on a like-for-like basis, that help ensure local authorities receive a fair settlement. As a result it is not possible to say how much grant has been provided for any particular service within each block.
	The Government collate outturns from local authorities, which estimate expenditure from formula grant and are published by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
	The following table summarises the outturns from all local authorities in England and includes provisional data for 2009-11.
	In 2009-10 Swindon borough council received £46,000 in capital grant funding from the Environment Agency. The council did not receive any funding in 2007-8 or 2008-09, and nothing is planned for 2010-11.
	In addition, Swindon has been allocated £10,000 (via special grant) this year as part of the £2 million DEFRA announced would be allocated to local authorities for the preparation of preliminary flood risk assessments. This is in addition to £100,000 announced for Swindon in August 2009 (from a total national allocation to local authorities of £9.7 million via the area based grant) for the preparation of surface water management plans.
	
		
			  Local authority outturns 
			  £ thousand 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 (Budget)  2010-11 (Budget) 
			 Defences against flooding 18,437 15,970 16,908 18,319 
			 Internal drainage and related work 29,959 30,960 32,612 36,232 
			 Coastal protection 14,451 14,803 14,253 14,977 
			 Levy: Environment Agency Flood Defence 27,158 28,271 30,674 31,233 
			 Total 90,005 90,004 94,447 100,761

Livestock: Cloning

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the animal welfare implications of farming cloned animals.

James Paice: The welfare of farmed animals is regulated in the UK through a combination of European and national legislation, and UK welfare standards are considered to be among the highest. Cloned livestock would be subject to exactly the same welfare requirements as other farm animals, as would animals involved in the production of cloned offspring.

Marine Conservation Zones

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in creating marine conservation zones.

Richard Benyon: Natural England (NE) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) have set up four regional projects which are working towards making proposals for possible Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) sites to NE and the JNCC by summer 2011. The projects will base their proposals on ecological and other guidance drawn up by our delivery partners and DEFRA. They will also complete detailed Impact Assessments.
	The projects will report to both statutory bodies and the independent Science Advisory Panel (SAP) at four key stages. Their first draft reports were submitted in July 2010, the next progress reports are due at the end of October 2010, and the third set of draft proposals are due in February 2011. The delivery partners will consider the final set of proposals, and accompanying Impact Assessments (due to be sent to them in June 2011), and then make their recommendations to Ministers in October 2011.
	DEFRA has also established the SAP to support the four regional projects in the MCZ selection process by offering objective scientific assessment of site proposals, and independent advice to Ministers. Panel members have been drawn from a diverse range of marine scientific disciplines in order to ensure a balanced and comprehensive skill set.

Marine Conservation Zones: Finance

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public funding each of the four regional projects constituting the Marine Conservation Zone Project received in financial year  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11. [R]

Richard Benyon: The following table shows how much public funding each of the four regional projects that constitute the Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) Project received in the financial year (FY) 2009-10, and projected funding for 2010-11.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Regional MCZ Project  Actual  FY 2009-10  Projected FY 2010-11( 1) 
			 Finding Sanctuary 516,900 508,000 
			 Balanced Seas 431,716 489,200 
			 Net Gain 479,914 734,030 
			 Irish Seas Conservation Zone 453,700 503,225 
			 (1 )The funding to each project will be reduced during the FY to take into account savings made as a result of the public sector expenditure controls on marketing and advertising. 
		
	
	The final budget provided will be dependent on the outcome of an exemption from the spending control and other efficiencies identified in year.

Marine Conservation Zones: Finance

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent under each budget heading on each of the four Marine Conservation Zones by  (a) her Department, (b) Natural England and  (c) the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows how much was spent on each of the four Marine Conservation Zone projects-Finding Sanctuary, Balanced Seas, Net Gain and Irish Sea Conservation Zones-by DEFRA, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) for the financial years (FY) 2008-09 and 2009-10.
	
		
			  Funding provided to the regional MCZ projects 
			   Funding provider  
			   DEFRA  Natural England  JNCC  Total funding 
			  FY 2008-09( 1) 
			 Finding Sanctuary 0 184,000 0 184,000 
			 Balanced Seas 0 32,000 0 32,000 
			 Net Gain 0 0 0 0 
			 Irish Sea Conservation Zones 0 52,532 0 52,532 
			  
			  FY 2009-10( 2) 
			 Finding Sanctuary 441,900 75,000 0 516,900 
			 Balanced Seas 286,716 145,000 0 431,716 
			 Net Gain 404,914 75,000 0 479,914 
			 Irish Sea Conservation Zones 378,700 75,000 0 453,700 
			 (1) FY 2008-09: Three regional MCZ projects were established in late FY 2008-09. (2) FY 2009-10: The Net Gain Project was not established until June 2009.

Potatoes: Diseases

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many outbreaks of the potato disease Dickeya solani have been detected in England in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010 to date; what the origin is of this infection; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the outbreak is contained.

James Paice: Dickeya solani is a bacterium (not yet officially named) of the Dickeya genus which affects potatoes. It is already present in Europe and is spreading on seed potatoes of Dutch origin. In consultation with industry representatives, it has been confirmed that quarantine status (i.e. exclusion and control through the EU Plant Health Directive (2000/29/EC)) would not be appropriate for D.solani due to its distribution in the EU. It is controlled; like every blackleg (bacterial disease of potatoes), through visual inspections during seed potato classification. Laboratory analysis is necessary to differentiate the D. solani strain from other blackleg causing strains (Pectobactehum atrosepticum and Dickeya dianthicola). The Seed Potato Classification Scheme (SPCS) includes tolerances for blackleg, including D. solani where these are exceeded the crop involved is downgraded or failed.
	In 2009 there were 16 positive cases of D.solani in England and Wales from seed and ware potato crop samples submitted to the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) by growers or Plant Health and Seeds Inspectors (PHSI), who operate the SPCS in England and Wales. The origin of the seed stocks involved was the Netherlands.
	A survey of seed potato crops conducted by Fera during seed potato classification in 2010 has shown that there were 18 (7%) cases of D.solani in England and Wales from 256 seed potato crops showing symptoms of blackleg. In 15 of the 18 cases the seed potatoes involved originated from the Netherlands. In the other three cases the seed potatoes had been multiplied in England, but the original source of the seed was not traced. Other blackleg causing organisms were responsible for the remaining 238 (93%) of cases in seed potatoes from UK and overseas sources.
	There were also 24 cases, of D. solani in samples of seed and ware potatoes submitted to Fera by growers or Fera PHSI. The origin of the seed stocks in these cases, where disclosed, was the Netherlands.
	In addition to the visual inspections already undertaken in the SPCS for blackleg and the specific survey for D. solani referred to above, Fera is collaborating with the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Crop Research Institute to conduct research on D. solani. This includes a newly proposed three year project funded by the Potato Council and Scottish Executive which incorporates a survey of seed potato crops in England and Wales to further explore the distribution of D. solani within the SPCS. This work will help to determine whether any changes to the SPCS requirements are needed.

Racehorses: Deaths

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of racehorses which  (a) died or  (b) were put down as a result of racing injuries in each year since 2005.

James Paice: The Government do not collect these figures. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), which is responsible for the governance and regulation of horseracing in this country, records and monitors all racehorse falls and injuries sustained on racecourses, and analyses information relating to fatal injuries to determine if those accidents can be prevented. This allows the BHA to take action if necessary, including implementing long-term strategies and veterinary research programmes to help reduce the risk of injury and death in racehorses. The BHA publishes annual injury and fatality data on its website.
	Horses are protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 throughout their lives, which means that their owner, and the person responsible for their care, has a duty to protect their welfare at all times.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Employment: Discrimination

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2010,  Official Report, column 592W, on the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, in how many of the 25 discrimination cases compensation was paid; how much was paid in each case; and how many of them were settled out of court.

Lynne Featherstone: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is independent and manages its own affairs; the following is based on information it has provided.
	Of the 25 discrimination cases:
	 (a) compensation was paid in one case;
	 (b) the amount paid in that case was £2,000;
	 (c) the case was settled out of court.

Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities

William Bain: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she plans to take to reduce  (a) the gender pay gap and  (b) sex discrimination in the workplace.

Lynne Featherstone: We are committed to promoting equal pay and will take a range of measures to end discrimination in the workplace. We have already announced plans to make pay secrecy clauses unenforceable, allowing women to shed light on discriminatory pay practices.
	We will extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, consulting with business on how best to do so and we are committed to promoting a new system of flexible parental leave and will consult on this at the first opportunity.
	We are also looking at how to promote gender equality on company boards and have asked Lord Davies of Abersoch to develop a business strategy to increase the number of women on the boards of listed companies in the UK.
	We will continue to consider what further action is most appropriate to reduce discrimination and will announce our decisions in due course.

Equality: Budget June 2010

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will make an assessment of the effect on  (a) men and  (b) women in Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency of the measures in the June 2010 Budget.

Lynne Featherstone: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Women and Equalities and I take this issue very seriously. To support Departments in taking account of equality considerations when assessing policy options in the context of identifying departmental savings, Government Equalities Office officials have held a series of advisory meetings with other Government Departments and organised training seminars, one of which was attended by the Regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
	There are no plans to commission separate work on how the provisions in the Budget will affect men and women for the constituency of Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock.

Females: Low Incomes

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the contribution of the Minister for Equalities of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 153, in the Adjournment debate on public expenditure reductions (women), what the evidential basis is for the statement that the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) was inaccurate in what it said; and what assumptions made by the IFS are unreliable or invalid.

Lynne Featherstone: In its August analysis of the June Budget the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) sought to include some previously un-modelled reforms. In order to do this, it made some strong assumptions, for example around disability living allowance, housing benefit, and in-year tax credit changes. It is therefore necessary to treat the results of their modelling with appropriate caution, given that the choice of assumptions will have a clear impact on the conclusions reached. The model also omits a number of key policy measures that are difficult to assign to households, but which are likely to impact on incomes and/or employment-for instance, changes to corporation tax and capital gains tax. For these reasons we cannot treat the IFS results as definitive.

UN Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women

David Miliband: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many officials at the Government Equalities Office are working on preparation of the UK's Periodic Report to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government are strongly committed to fulfilling their international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which it views as an essential tool to progress gender equality domestically and internationally. The Government are on track to submit the UK 7th CEDAW periodic report to the UN in May 2011, as scheduled. To ensure the widest possible contribution and input to this report, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) has and will continue to engage with other Government Departments, the devolved Administrations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) throughout the drafting process:
	The GEO has set up a forum of prominent umbrella NGOs/other partners to keep these organisations up to date and to enable a productive dialogue.
	To inform and pursue this dialogue, the GEO is also planning to host a wider NGO event towards the end of the year.
	The GEO hosts a cross-government officials group and a Devolved Administration Gender Director's Network.
	Throughout the compilation/clearance of the periodic report GEO officials will use all these forums to contribute to the drafting of the report throughout the process.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Accelerated Development Zones

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the establishment of accelerated development zones in respect of each local authority which expressed an interest in such zones in June 2009.

Bob Neill: On 20 September, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the Government would allow local authorities to borrow using tax increment financing.
	Further details will be published later this year in a White Paper on local economic growth, which will consider the most appropriate framework of incentives for local authorities to support growth, including exploring options for business rate incentives, which would allow local authorities to reinvest the benefits of growth into local communities.

Building Regulations

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many notifications were made under Part P of Building Regulations in England and Wales in each year since 2005; and how many notifications there were under the scheme relating to the fitting of a new consumer unit in domestic properties in each such year, excluding those fitted in newly-built properties.

Andrew Stunell: Notifications under Part P (Electrical safety) of the Building Regulations may be made either directly to a building control body (local authorities and approved inspectors) or by registered installers through an authorised Part P competent person self-certification scheme. There are no figures available for those installations notified directly to a building control body as the Department does not hold such information. The following table sets out those notifications made through competent person schemes since 2005:
	
		
			   Part P notifications through competent person schemes 
			 April 2005 to March 2006 938,890 
			 April 2006 to March 2007 1,142,046 
			 April 2007 to March 2008 1,210,748 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 1,239,951 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 1,214,917 
		
	
	Separate information on the number of new consumer units installed in existing domestic properties has not been collected.

Connaught Partnerships

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to assist housing associations and local authorities to bring in-house contracts which had been let to Connaught Partnerships.

Grant Shapps: We do not intend to assist housing associations or local authorities to bring in-house contracts previously let to Connaught Partnerships. This is a matter for those landlords affected.
	Since Connaught entered administration large parts of their business have already been bought out by other contractors; Morgan Sindall (who have taken over the majority of the social housing arm) and Centrica (who have bought the electric and gas compliance part of the business). This has safeguarded the majority of jobs at risk following Connaught's collapse.

Connaught Partnerships

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to review his Department's policy on the maintenance of housing association propeties to take account of the entry into administration of Connaught Partnerships.

Grant Shapps: No, the Government see no reason and have no plans to revise their policies on the maintenance of housing association properties.
	Since Connaught entered administration large parts of their business have already been bought out by other contractors; Morgan Sindall (who have taken over the majority of the social housing arm) and Centrica (who have bought the electric and gas compliance part of the business). This has safeguarded the majority of jobs at risk following Connaught's collapse.

Councillors: Age

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether he has made a recent estimate of the number and proportion of councillors under the age of 35 years old in local authorities  (a) in London and  (b) outside London;
	(2)  whether he has made a recent estimate of the number of local authorities with no councillors aged under 35 years of age;
	(3)  whether he has made an estimate of the number and proportion of councillors elected in May 2010 who were  (a) under 25,  (b) under 30,  (c) under 35,  (d) under 40,  (e) under 50,  (f) over 60,  (g) over 65,  (h) over 70,  (i) over 80 and  (j) over 90 years old.

Bob Neill: We have made no such estimates. Data on the age profile of councillors are collected by the Local Government and Improvement Development body (previously known as IDeA) as part of its National Census of Local Authority Councillors in England, the last of which was carried out in 2008.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Bob Neill: The average cost to Communities and Local Government for processing the payment of an invoice in the current financial year 2010-11 is £1.81. Of the invoices settled over that period, 97.93% have been paid electronically and the remaining 2.07% paid by cheque.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Bob Neill: Details of the Department's expenditure for the first quarter of financial year 2010-11 have been published on its website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/spendingdata1011.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Bob Neill: No freehold property owned by Communities and Local Government is vacant.
	CLG currently has vacant space within two existing leasehold properties, but due to the nature of the tenancy agreement the value of this asset is nil to the Department. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for West Suffolk (Matthew Hancock) on 6 September,  Official Report, column 20W.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department and its predecessors spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2001.

Bob Neill: The Department has spent the following on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines with its preferred suppliers since 2003. Figures for earlier years could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount (£) 
			 2003-04 180,408 
			 2004-05 139,106 
			 2005-06 159,369 
			 2006-07 129,370 
			 2007-08 86,834 
			 2008-09 136,892 
			 2009-10 113,308 
			 Total 945,287

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Grant Shapps: CLG will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Redundancy Pay

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what severance payments have been paid to  (a) Ministers and  (b) special advisers in his Department who left office after the last general election.

Bob Neill: 1 refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) on 5 July 2010,  Official Report, column 55W.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Bob Neill: The Department has appointed fewer than five secondees since 7 May 2010. Further details are withheld on grounds of confidentiality.

Empty Dwelling Management Orders

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the operation of interim empty dwelling management orders.

Andrew Stunell: The coalition agreement commits to exploring a range of measures to bring empty homes back into use. Ministers are currently looking at the nature of the problem and potential solutions including the operation of interim empty dwelling management orders and the civil liberty implications. We expect to make a further announcement shortly.

Fire Services: West Midlands

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that Hereford and Worcester fire and rescue service is funded on a basis equivalent to that of West Midlands fire service.

Bob Neill: Formula grant is distributed in the same way to all local authorities, as appropriate to the services that they provide.
	We have consulted publicly on options for distribution of formula grant from 2011-12 and will take decisions in due course.

Government Departments: Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in establishing the panel of representative young people to provide advice to Government on topical issues of interest to young citizens referred to in the Government's response to the recommendations of the Youth Citizenship Commission.

Andrew Stunell: The Youth Citizenship Commission report was commissioned by the previous Administration. New Ministers are currently considering developing proposals for the future of youth services and on new approaches to giving young people a voice and strengthening youth scrutiny over national and local policy. Officials from my Department, with colleagues from the Department for Education, are working to assess the impact of current approaches to youth empowerment and democratic engagement and are drawing on the mechanisms and experience of youth organisations to involve young people directly in this work. Both Departments are also working with the Office for Civil Society to support the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme. Young people were involved in the work that led to the creation of NCS, and their direct contribution to its continuing development is an essential part of future plans for the programme.

Government Offices for the Regions

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 22 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 27-8WS, on regional government, what assessment he made of the merits of holding a consultation on the proposed closure of the Government Office Network.

Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs Ellman) and the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Katy Clark) on 27 July,  Official Report, columns 1037-38W.

Government Offices for the Regions

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he met unions representing staff at the Government Office Network before taking his decision to close that network.

Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) on 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 605W.

Housing Ombudsman Service: Public Relations

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 5 August 2010, if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract and project brief for work undertaken by APCO Worldwide for the Housing Ombudsman; what the cost was of the contract; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) Communications and Engagement Strategy,  (b) Communications and Engagement Programme and  (c) Stakeholder Perception Survey.

Grant Shapps: The contract referred to in the Secretary of State's press release of 5 August between the Housing Ombudsman and APCO Worldwide was to undertake a stakeholder perception survey. This survey was completed in June 2010 and is available on the Independent Housing Ombudsman Ltd (IHOL) website at the following address
	www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
	I will place a copy of the contract and the project brief in the House Library.

Landlords: Protection

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen protection for landlords.

Andrew Stunell: We have no proposals to strengthen protection for landlords. The current legislative framework delivers the right balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants and we have no plans to change it.

Local Government Finance

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made on implementing proposed changes to the rating system to enable local authorities to retain a greater proportion of revenue; and by what date he expects the changes to have been implemented.

Bob Neill: As announced in the June Budget, the Government will publish a White Paper later in the year which will consider the most appropriate framework of incentives for local authorities to support growth, including exploring options for business rate incentives, which would allow local authorities to reinvest the benefits of growth into local communities.

Local Government Finance

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of the area-based grant; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Area-based grant is being considered alongside all other grant funding for local authorities in the context of the current spending review which will set the spending plans for 2011-12 to 2014-15. The outcome of the spending review will be announced on 20 October.
	In June, we removed ring-fencing from £1.2 billion of grants, confirming the Government's commitment to increasing local authorities' flexibility to use their funding to meet locally identified priorities.

Local Government: Pay

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will discuss with Local Government Employers and unions means of reaching agreement on pay claims for 2011-12 and 2012-13 for local government employees.

Bob Neill: The pay of local government employees is determined by the relevant National Joint Council or Joint Negotiating Committee governing that work force. Central Government play no role in the pay negotiation machinery involving the employer's side and the trade union side.

Local Government: Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities offer opportunities for young citizens to take a decision-making role in respect of budgets funding activities for young people.

Andrew Stunell: The Department for Education has previously provided discrete funding, through the Youth Opportunity Fund, for young people to control and decide how it should be spent in their local area. These funds helped all local authorities to develop new approaches to strategic investment in youth activities and facilities. Local authorities continue to receive this funding until March 2011 and in the context of the current fiscal climate, the ring fence has been removed to provide local authorities with greater flexibility to reshape services according to local need.
	A number of local authorities have also implemented Participatory Budgeting in their area (giving people a direct say over spending parts of local budgets), including giving young people a say in spending decisions on activities for young people. Examples include Newcastle, Tower Hamlets and Stockton on Tees.

Local Government: Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have  (a) youth councils and  (b) other schemes to promote the involvement of young people in local government.

Andrew Stunell: This information is not held centrally. However, the British Youth Council reports that there are currently over 620 youth councils active across the UK. They work with all levels of local government including parish and community councils as well as unitary authorities, borough and county councils. Members of the UK Youth Parliament (MYPs) combine with or are linked to 84% of youth councils. In 2009-10, 92% of local authorities signed up to supporting the UK Youth Parliament. Other schemes include the Youth4U Young Inspectors programme which, between April 2009 and March 2011, is involving 30 local authorities in examining how marginalised young people can engage in their communities through the scrutiny of local services.

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 5 August 2010, if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract and project brief for work undertaken for the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation by Connect Public Affairs; and how much was spent on the contract.

Bob Neill: holding answer 13 September 2010
	A copy of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation's contract with Connect Public Affairs has been placed in the Library of the House. In the last 12 months the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation has paid £8,002.56 to Connect Public Affairs as a contribution to the secretariat services provided by them to the All Party Thames Gateway Parliamentary Group.
	This contract has now been cancelled.

Non-domestic Rates: Social Enterprises

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on use of the business rates system to encourage social enterprises in their area.

Bob Neill: Some social enterprises may potentially qualify for mandatory charity relief or discretionary not-for-profit relief. Charity relief provides an 80% discount on business rates bills which may be topped up to 100% by the relevant local authority. Not-for-profit relief is payable at the discretion of the relevant local authority and provides up to 100% relief. Decisions on whether a particular social enterprise satisfies the relevant eligibility criteria are a matter for individual local authorities.

Planning Permission

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish  (a) the minutes of each meeting and  (b) the responses to questionnaires conducted in respect of the proposals set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) No (i) 2 and (ii) 3 (England) Regulations 2010.

Grant Shapps: I have placed a summary of the representations received on this matter in the Library of the House. My officials met with key partners who had been invited to comment on the proposals-these meetings were not minuted.

Planning Permission

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he received before making the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2010; and if he will publish them.

Grant Shapps: We sought the views of key partners representing the different interests in this matter prior to bringing forward these legislative changes. A number of other organisations. mainly individual local authorities, also took the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. I have placed a summary of responses, which includes details of those who responded, in the Library of the House.

Politics: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to encourage young people to participate in politics.

Andrew Stunell: The Government are keen to promote opportunities for young people to participate in politics. Ministers, MPs and officials provide opportunities for young people to shadow them and learn more about politics. Local government also provides opportunities, including youth councils who work with all levels of local government and give young people a voice in their local area. The British Youth Council reports that there are currently over 620 youth councils active across the UK. Other opportunities for young people to participate in politics include the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) elections, the UKYP debate in the House of Commons and departmental advisory groups. We will continue to encourage these activities where we can.

Postcodes: Databases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) letters and  (b) e-mails his Department has received (i) against and (ii) in favour of deleting county names from the Postcode Address File in the last six months.

Bob Neill: We have no record of having received correspondence on this issue in the last six months.

Postcodes: Databases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has had recent discussions with the Association of Traditional Counties on the deletion of county names from the Postcode Address File.

Bob Neill: While we recognise the significance of county names for the traditions of our counties, my right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.

Rented Housing: Hyndburn

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many one-room  (a) social sector and  (b) private rented sector properties are for rent at (i) under and (ii) over £46 per week in Hyndburn and Haslingden.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Rights of Way

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the provision to members of the public of copies of definitive footpath maps proposed by local authorities is within the scope of the Public Sector Mapping Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Members of the public are able to access copies of local authority definitive maps, which depict public rights of way including footpaths, for the purposes of inspection and scrutiny. This will continue to be the case under the Public Sector Mapping Agreement, where these maps are based on Ordnance Survey mapping.
	Ordnance Survey has not been made aware of any proposals by local authorities to alter the way in which members of the public are provided with access to copies of definitive maps.

Shared Ownership Schemes: Construction

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many shared ownership housing units were constructed in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number of such units which will be completed in each of the next five years.

Andrew Stunell: New Build HomeBuy homes encompass all shared ownership homes constructed. Figures for New Build HomeBuy homes are provided in the following table.
	Information up to and including 2008-09 is also published in Live Table 1010 on the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousingsupply/livetables/
	which will be updated for 2009-10 with the publication of the Department's Affordable Housing Statistical Release and Live Tables on 28 October 2010. Information in the table for 2009-10 is taken from the Homes and Communities Agency's statistics released on 15 June 2010.
	The Department does not forecast levels of future house building and delivery will be determined by local housing plans.
	
		
			  Additional New Build HomeBuy homes provided in England 
			   Number 
			 2005-06 8,700 
			 2006-07 10,960 
			 2007-08 14,450 
			 2008-09 11,820 
			 2009-10 9,110 
			  Note:  Data are rounded to nearest 10 homes.  Source: Homes and Communities Agency

Third Sector: Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with third sector organisations on ensuring that young citizens in community and voluntary groups are informed of opportunities to take up civic roles.

Andrew Stunell: Ministers for the Department of Communities and Local Government have undertaken a number of discussions with voluntary and community sector organisations. This includes meetings with the Young Advisors Charity and British Youth Council to discuss the roles of young people in the big society and ministerial attendance at a panel discussion on politicians' engagement with young people run by the New Statesman magazine and the Prince's Trust, and attended by young people from a wide variety of organisations.

TRANSPORT

Airlines: Radar

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch on the installation of TCAS II equipment in planes flying in the London area.

Theresa Villiers: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has not made any representations to the Secretary of State in respect of TCAS II.
	However the AAIB has made the following Safety Recommendation to the Civil Aviation Authority (AAIB Recommendation 2010/060).
	"It is recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority considers whether the carriage of TCAS II should be mandated for aircraft operating in those parts of the London TMA where London City Airport SIDs interact with traffic positioning to land at Heathrow Airport".
	This recommendation followed the investigation into a serious incident near London City airport on 27 July 2009 reported in the AAIB September 2010 Bulletin.

Aviation

Alan Haselhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government the inclusion in the scope of the proposed Airport Economic Regulation Bill of provisions to address matters of blight, compensation and compulsory purchase orders in respect of airport expansion schemes.

Theresa Villiers: We announced in the Queen's Speech in May 2010, the Government's intention to reform the framework for the economic regulation of airports to benefit passengers and to drive investment in better airport services. Government are looking to introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.
	We have no plans to include in the Bill measures relating to blight, compensation and compulsory purchase orders in respect of airport development schemes.

Aviation: Security

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the use of advanced imaging technology in airports; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: A consultation on the use of security scanners in UK airports was undertaken, closing on 19 July 2010. Over 6,000 responses were received and these are currently being analysed. The Government plan to make an announcement on the way forward soon.

Aviation: Security

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to continue with the trial of the use of full-body security scanners at UK airports; and what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK of the proposals in the Commission Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the use of security scanners at EU airports, 10865/10.

Theresa Villiers: The deployment of security scanners continues while the Government consider the responses to a public consultation on an interim code of practice for their use at UK airports.
	Given the nature of the continuing terrorist threat to civil aviation, we welcome the European Commission's communication of 15 June 2010. The Government believe that we now need to move quickly to amend existing European implementing legislation to give airports the flexibility to deploy security scanners more effectively and efficiently than at present.

Bury-Rawtenstall Railway Line

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the development of the Bury to Rawtenstall rail extension proceeds.

Theresa Villiers: I would be happy to work with Rossendale borough council, Lancashire county council and Greater Manchester Passengers Transport Executive on the Bury to Rawtenstall rail extension scheme should studies that they are currently undertaking confirm that a new rail service is the best way to meet the transport needs of the corridor between Bury and Rawtenstall. However, all programmes will be subject to affordability and constraints of the outcome of the autumn Spending Review.

Bus Services: Concessions

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to his Department was of the national concessionary bus travel scheme  (a) in total and  (b) per recipient in each year since its introduction; and what estimate he has made of the projected cost of the scheme in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Norman Baker: Following the extension of the statutory minimum bus concession in April 2008, to provide free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England to eligible older and disabled people, the Department for Transport has provided special grant funding to local authorities of £212 million in 2008-09, £217 million in 2009-10 and £223 million in 2010-11. This is in addition to the funding that the Department for Communities and Local Government provides each year for concessionary travel through the formula grant process. Local authorities spent £1.025 billion on concessionary travel (including their own discretionary enhancements) in 2008-09. Figures for 2009-10 have not yet been published.
	The average cost per concessionary pass issued is estimated to be around £100 per annum.
	The projected future cost of the concessionary travel scheme is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2011-12 1,089 
			 2012-13 1,108 
			 2013-14 1,132 
			 2014-15 1,157 
		
	
	The above forecast is for expenditure by travel concession authorities on concessionary travel for older and disabled people. This includes spend on both the statutory minimum scheme and discretionary concessions and assumes eligible age for the scheme rises in line with the rising female pension age, as has already been committed.
	As part of the spending review the Government are exploring how savings can be made in how the scheme is operated-in particular whether savings can be made through a more efficient method by which travel concession authorities reimburse bus operators. These savings have not been included in the forecast.

Bus Services: Finance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department plans to use in its review of the Bus Services Operators Grant; what consultations his Department is undertaking as part of the review; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Government are considering Bus Service Operators Grant as part of the spending review. Decisions will be made, and announced, in due course.
	A public consultation on options for Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) reform was held in 2008. Since then, the Department has been talking to representatives from the bus industry and local authorities and has received a number of letters from MPs, interest groups and members of the public.

Cars: Accidents

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of staged car accidents in the latest period for which figures are available; and what estimate has been made of the effects of such accidents on  (a) car insurance premiums and  (b) other costs to motorists.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has made no estimate of the number of staged car accidents, or the effect of such accidents on motor insurance premiums and other costs to motorists. This is because insurance claims are made directly to insurance companies by either the policyholder, the other party or the other party's insurer.
	The industry set up the Insurance Fraud Bureau to co-ordinate intelligence on insurance fraud. Insurers take insurance fraud very seriously and have set measures in place to deal with it. Where there is sufficient evidence of fraud the police will be informed but it is unlikely that the industry would contact the Department before doing so.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Road Traffic

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to help improve traffic flow at the Dartford Crossing.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency are currently implementing a package of measures, including better information to road users and further traffic management technology to reduce congestion.
	We are currently examining options for addressing traffic flow issues at the Dartford Crossing and will make an announcement in due course.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Norman Baker: The average cost of processing the payment of an invoice for the Department is £4.99.
	In determining the average cost of processing an invoice, the cost is calculated by taking the staff costs for those staff who are solely involved in invoice processing and dividing it by the total number of invoices paid. The calculation does not take into account accommodation and IT/equipment costs.
	The average proportion of invoices settled electronically and by cheque for the Department is:
	Electronic: 91.34%
	Cheque: 8.66%

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's Chief Scientific Officer since 6 May 2010.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State has met with the Government chief scientific adviser on one occasion. He plans to meet with both his departmental chief scientific adviser and chief scientific adviser on 3 November.

Departmental Driving

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of his Department's staff whose duties include driving have passed the advanced driving test.

Norman Baker: This information is not held centrally, however, as of 31 December 2009 the percentage of Government Car and Despatch Agency staff whose duties include driving, who have passed the Institute of Advanced Motorists course, was 45.8%.

Departmental Motor Vehicles

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual expenditure on vehicles of  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in each English region was in the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is in each case for 2010-11.

Norman Baker: The requested information is provided in the table.
	Information on non-departmental public bodies and a regional breakdown of spend is available only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			  DfT organisational unit  Notes  2010-11 planned expenditure  2009-10 spend  2008-09 spend  2007-08 spend 
			 DfT Central-London HQ 1 - - - - 
			 DfT Central-Air Accidents Investigation Branch 2 37,803 36,430 36,430 30,367 
			 DfT Central-Marine Accident Investigation Branch 2 6,800 7,279 4,849 4,418 
			 DfT Central-Rail Accident Investigation Branch - 27,316 28,270 18,428 18,435 
			 Driving Standards Agency 3 625,286 1,121,804 264,788 305,311 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 4 694,000 431,000 670,000 640,000 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 5 1.4 million 2.0 million 2.5 million 1.3 million 
			 Highways Agency 6 15.7 million 27.1 million 22.0 million 2.3 million 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 7 173,332 236,576 459,775 672,798 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 8 1.2 million 2,011,169 1,965,890 463,723 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 9 - 5,574 4,138 7,186 
			  Notes:  1. Included within GCDA.  2. Relates to leased vehicles.  3. Relates to (a) purchase and (b) maintenance costs.  4. Relates to the total cost for (a) leased cars, (b) car hire, (c) vehicle running costs, (d) minor repairs and (e) car maintenance (the DVLA does not own any vehicles). These figures also represent the total for Great Britain (as the agency does not hold such information by individual region) and to perform such an exercise would incur disproportionate costs. The increased forecast costs are due to: leasing contracts due for renewal at increased costs, introduction of new tasks, business adviser trainers numbers reduced resulting in more travelling to cover a wider geographical area, setting up of new Central Processing Unit resulting in initial additional travel costs regarding training etc. Additionally the Central Processing Unit (set up in March 2010) will result in increased travel costs of senior managers covering Swansea and Manchester Central Processing Units. The departments Corporate Assurance Services will be carrying out significantly increased numbers of External Data User Visits to ensure security. The forecast also includes leases for vehicles to replace trucks that were owned. This cost is new to 2010-11.  5. Relates to (a) purchase, (b) leasing, (c) service, maintenance and repair and (d) fuel. The table represents the expenditure for the GCDA fleet which is located in London. Included in these figures are 16 vehicles that operate out of Cardiff and Bradford, these are rotated among the fleet to level out mileage. The cost relating to these could be separated out only at a disproportionate cost."  6. Relates to expenditure on the Traffic Officer Vehicles and Winter Maintenance Fleet (except 2007-08 which relates to Traffic Officer Fleet only). The Traffic Officer Vehicle figures do not include fuel and consumables. Traffic Officer Vehicles are provided on a lease basis and the Highways Agency is charged a combined monthly fee that includes lease and maintenance. The Highways Agency is forecasting to spend £12.5 million on the purchase of new winter service vehicles this financial year, with £5 million spent to date, over the period April to June 2010. The vehicle supply contract for the new winter fleet was not awarded until January 2008 and as such, costs were not incurred under the contract until later in 2008-09 being year 1 of the supply contract. Before this Highways Agency used the old fleet which was purchased a number of years previously.  7. Relates to (a) purchase, (b) maintenance and (c) fuel in England. Further regional breakdown is available only at disproportionate cost.  8. Figures calculated include: fuel service maintenance and repair insurance premium-we have commercial fully comprehensive insurance GCDA fleet management fees capital purchases, including conversion work all vehicles have been included, e.g. Powers to Stop (PtS), High Risk Traffic Initiative (HRTI) PtS, Roadside Check vans (mobile office) pool cars 2007-08-fuel cost has been calculated pro rata using five months recorded data due to a change in how the data were captured. To calculate actuals would incur disproportionate costs. 2008-09 and 2009-10 had major capital investment for HRTI project and replacement Roadside Check vans.  9. Data for 2010-11 are not available.

Departmental Operating Costs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to reduce the running costs of his Department since his appointment.

Philip Hammond: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (Mr Blunkett) on 13 July 2010,  Official Report, column 625W, in which I set out how the Department for Transport is making £683 million of savings in 2010-11, as part of the £6 billion of cross-Government cuts announced by the Government in May.
	My Department is continuing to make further efficiencies through the spending review, which is due to report on 20 October 2010, in line with the Government's requirement to reduce departmental administration spend by a third by 2014-15.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2002.

Norman Baker: Expenditure by the Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Vehicle Operator Standards Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Government Car and Despatch Agency, on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in the most recent years is as follows:
	2008-09: £267,642
	2009-10: £225,393
	2010-11: £41,270 (to 31 August, where available).
	Due to changes in accounting systems, expenditure for years prior to 2008-09 cannot be provided on a comparable basis without incurring disproportionate costs.
	In the last year, the Department and its agencies have taken significant steps to reduce discretionary spending. This is reflected in the comparatively low anticipated final figure 2010-11.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Philip Hammond: The Department for Transport will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Speeches

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which  (a) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in his Department and  (b) other individuals are employed to write speeches for each Minister in his Department.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport currently employs two civil servants to write speeches and articles for four Departments for Transport Ministers. Policy officials may sometimes contribute by drafting parliamentary speeches. The Department's two special advisers may also contribute to speeches when required.

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his  (a) Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee training in each year since 1997.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport was formed in 2002, and is made up of a central Department and seven Executive agencies. This response covers both the central Department and our seven agencies.
	I regret that the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost for the following:
	The Department for Transport, the Vehicle and Operator Services, the Vehicle Certification Agency, the Highways Agency and non-departmental public bodies, due to the data not being held centrally.
	A partial response is possible for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Government Car and the Despatch Agency (GCDA), the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for data held centrally since 2007.
	Please note the following table provides data held for the agencies who commenced recording their training data centrally from 2007.
	
		
			  Training c ourses and  a ids 
			  £ 
			   Financial years 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 MCA 423,833 567,253 82,265.37 
			 GCDA 138,262 63,712 90,697 
			 DSA 847,464 806,639 625,449 
			 DVLA 1,876,000 1,548,000 1,265,000 
			  Note: The data contained in this table is shown as recorded by our executive agencies. The data relates to formal training that has been logged and recorded centrally; it may not include training which has been booked and paid for locally.

Driving under Influence: Accidents

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in each age group who died in road traffic accident deaths where alcohol was a causal factor in each year since 1999; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The estimated number of fatalities in drink drive accidents by age group for each year since 1999 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Estimated number of fatalities in drink drive accidents by age group, 1999 to 2008 
			  Number of fatalities 
			   0-15  16-24  25-59  60+  Total( 1) 
			 1999 10 150 260 30 460 
			 2000 10 170 310 30 530 
			 2001 10 190 310 30 530 
			 2002 10 190 320 30 550 
			 2003 10 210 330 30 580 
			 2004 20 210 330 30 580 
			 2005 10 190 330 30 550 
			 2006 10 200 320 30 560 
			 2007 0 150 230 30 410 
			 2008 10 140 220 30 400 
			 (1) Includes age not recorded.  Note: Estimates are rounded to the nearest 10 and therefore the rows may not add up to the total. 
		
	
	A reported drink drive accident is defined as being a collision on a public road reported to police in which someone is killed or injured and where one or more of the motor vehicle drivers or riders involved either refused to give a breath test specimen when requested to do so by the police (other than when incapable of doing so for medical reasons), or one of the following:
	(i) failed a roadside breath test by registering over 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath
	(ii) died and was subsequently found to have more than 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
	Alcohol was not necessarily a causal factor in all of these accidents and there may have been fatalities in other accidents in which alcohol was a causal factor but no drivers/riders involved exceeded the legal drink drive limit. Estimates for drink drive casualties by age group in 2009 will be available in summer 2011.
	The previous Government commissioned Sir Peter North to head an independent review of measures available to combat drink and drug driving. Sir Peter's report covers a wide range of issues and makes 51 detailed recommendations, which we are considering carefully with other Government Departments. We hope to publish a response to the report at the end of the year.

Driving: Information

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency has spent on driver information programmes in the last 12 months.

Michael Penning: In the last 12 months (August 2009 to August 2010) the Highways Agency has spent £211,358.91 on the development of driver information programmes for road safety educational purposes, including support to various partnership initiatives.
	The driver information programmes are developed and created with advice and support from experts in the industry (Police, Fire and Rescue, Department for Transport, Road Safety Great Britain). The cost quoted is for the development of the master copies. The costs of reproduction (mass copying the resources) is included in the Highways Agency's road safety initiative budget, which covers a wide range of safety interventions. Much road safety educational work has been developed in-house and with key partners at no cost.

East Coast Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for use of Pendolino rolling stock for service on the east coast main line; and what assumptions were made about the availability of rolling stock when the east coast main line 2011 timetable was being prepared.

Theresa Villiers: We are aware of discussions that Directly Operated Railways have had about the use of a new Pendolino set on the east coast main line. This is an operational matter for Directly Operated Railways.
	Additional rolling stock is not required for the operation of the May 2011 east coast timetable, which has been developed on the assumption that it will be operated using the existing east coast fleet.

EU Law

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost to his Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months.

Theresa Villiers: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Fuels: Excise Duties

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department paid in fuel duty rebate to  (a) bus operators,  (b) train operators,  (c) air operators and  (d) ferry operators in each year since 2005; what proportion of the fuel duty incurred by each was accounted for by each such rebate in each such year; whether his Department plans to review such rebates as part of the Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport no longer pays fuel duty rebate to bus operators. In recent years, we have paid grant to bus operators in the form of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG). This is calculated on the amount of fuel used but is no longer linked to fuel duty rates.
	Since 2008, BSOG has been paid at a rate of 43.21p per litre. Operators can receive higher rates for achieving specific outcomes, such as operating smartcard systems or Automatic Vehicle Location systems, and increasing fuel efficiency. An additional BSOG payment is made to operators of low carbon buses.
	Since 2005, total spend on BSOG in England has been as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 357 
			 2006-07 367 
			 2007-08 398 
			 2008-09 423 
			 2009-10 430 
		
	
	The Government are considering Bus Service Operators Grant as part of the spending review. Decisions will be made, and announced, in due course.
	The Government have no comparable scheme for trains, boats and planes. However, international airline fuel is not dutiable and diesel fuel for use by train and ferry operators is taxed at the rebated rate of £10.99 per litre. Tax relief is available for ferry operators. Additionally, kerosene is exempt from tax, except where it is for private use.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of noise levels of aircraft approaching and departing Heathrow airport.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport publishes annual aircraft noise contour maps for Heathrow which provides information on the size of the contours as well as the population within them.
	This information is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dft.gov.uk

M25: Road Traffic

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce congestion at junction 30 of the M25; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: All national and regional road improvement schemes with an estimated cost of greater than £10 million that are not yet in construction will be considered as part of the Government's Spending Review.

Motor Vehicles: Safety

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with  (a) the European Commission and  (b) his EU counterparts on harmonising EU requirements on road safety standards for child passengers in motor vehicles.

Michael Penning: I have had no such recent discussions. There are European Commission Directives aimed at establishing minimum common practice throughout the EU on the use of seat belts and child seats, which the UK implemented in 2006. These do not prevent other member states introducing further rules in their territory on top of those prescribed in the Directives, should it so wish. That is a matter for the country concerned and is not something that the Government could or would seek to influence.

Northern Rail and Transpennine: Rolling Stock

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of railway carriage provision for passengers leaving stations in Greater Manchester on  (a) Northern Rail and  (b) Transpennine services; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Government's proposals for providing extra capacity on rail services in Greater Manchester, formulated under the previous Administration, are being reviewed as part of the spending review. They are being tested for affordability and an announcement will be made shortly after the conclusion of the spending review.
	The Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes statistics on passengers in excess of capacity in National Rail Trends (NRT). These figures were updated in July 2010 for London commuter services, and will be published for other regional centres when this information is available.
	More detailed crowding information on the requested services may be available directly from the operators at the following addresses:
	Northern Rail Ltd, Northern House, 9 Rougier Street, York, YO1 6HZ.
	Customer Relations, First TransPennine Express, Freepost, ADMAIL 3878, Manchester, M1 9YB.

Parking: Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to enable local authorities to have access to overseas driver and vehicle registration data to enforce parking fines.

Michael Penning: In order for legislation on matters relating to cross-border co-operation to be effective, it should be co-ordinated by the European Union. I understand that it is the Belgian presidency's intention to discuss this issue at the Council of Transport Ministers in December.
	Foreign drivers are subject to the same rules as drivers from the UK. Local authorities have a range of enforcement options to target the vehicle of any motorist who consistently breaks parking laws and does not pay penalty charges to ensure that payment is secured.

Public Transport: Disability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to improve the provision of public transport travel advice and information for disabled individuals.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport recognises the importance of travel advice and information to enable disabled people to plan their journeys on public transport confidently and independently.
	We are currently working to improve the accessibility information available to the public through the Transport Direct journey planner, to enable disabled people and people of reduced mobility to plan their journeys during the Olympic Games. This should have an ongoing legacy.
	On buses, audio visual equipment is a useful addition to bus services and is especially useful to those with visual impairments. The Department has commissioned a project to research the costs and benefits of audio visuals on buses, and consider ways of increasing uptake of these systems. The project is due to report shortly.
	On rail, the Department has been working closely with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to improve the information available to disabled passengers via the National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES). During 2008-10, £500,000 was contributed to a programme of access audits for every station in the country and a detailed new station journey planner, 'Stations Made Easy', which is available on the NRES website.
	Since then, the Department has continued to work with ATOC on plans to improve the Assisted Passenger Reservation Service, which disabled people can use to enquire about facilities and book journey assistance. A further £250,000 has been offered to support this project which is currently in progress.
	For those who are not confident using public transport, the Department will champion increased levels of travel training by local authorities, produce a website of good practice by the end of 2010, and use the Olympic Games to raise the profile of these schemes.

Public Transport: Disability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to improve access for disabled individuals to bus services serving  (a) Coventry and  (b) other cities.

Norman Baker: The Government believe that local bus services are vital for many people and, where possible, should be accessible to all. The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 came into force in 2000 and apply to any public service vehicle with a capacity exceeding 22 passengers used to provide a local or scheduled service in Britain. The requirements include making provision for a wheelchair space as well as fitting features on the bus to assist disabled people. The regulations require all buses and coaches, both old and new, to comply from the year 2015 (through to 2017) for buses and from 2020 for coaches.
	Furthermore, the Government's commitment to protect key benefits for older and disabled people, such as free bus travel, is set out in the Coalition Agreement and the right to free bus travel for both older and disabled people is enshrined in Primary Legislation.

Public Transport: Disability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of travel information in multiple formats; and what steps he plans to take to implement this policy in the next 12 months.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has led the agenda for the provision of joined-up travel information in standardised formats. In addition to the existing legislation covering the provision of information (primarily the Railways Act of 1993 and the Local Government Act of 2000) the Government's Transparency Agenda promotes the freeing up of public information to the developer community to facilitate the creation of new, innovative information services.
	The Department has already released over 120 datasets on data.gov.uk, including NaPTAN (all public transport access points) and NPTDR (an annual snapshot of public transport services) and we will work with colleagues in local government and the transport industry to make more data available over the next 12 months. We believe that this will encourage new, innovative and personalised services to be launched, notably in new media such as smart phone apps, social networking and mobile internet, which will complement the existing internet, telephone and paper-based information services.

Railways: Construction

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment  (a) his Department and  (b) High Speed Two have made of the potential of utilising and upgrading existing rail infrastructure as an alternative to the construction of a new high speed rail network.

Philip Hammond: The Department for Transport's considerations can be found in the "Road and Rail Alternatives Study" published in March 2010, available at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/alternativestudy/
	HS2 Ltd's remit required that it look only at creating a new alignment.
	This Government believe that a high speed rail network will increase connectivity and capacity on the railway. Separately, Sir Roy McNulty's review of value for money is looking at options for ensuring public investment in existing rail infrastructure is delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Railways: Fares

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the retail price index plus 1% cap on regulated-fare rail ticket prices.

Theresa Villiers: The Government are committed to fairness on rail fares. However, some tough decisions will have to be made in the spending review which concludes this autumn. The Secretary of State has made clear that a priority for the Government will be protecting investment in the railway and therefore it would be inappropriate to rule out a review of the fare formula ahead of the Spending Review announcement. Further announcements on rail fares will be made in due course.

Railways: Fares

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from Southeastern Railway on changes to rail fares on the Integrated Kent Franchise from January 2011.

Theresa Villiers: Southeastern approached the Secretary of State to seek his approval to enter into discussions with Transport for London to add Dartford to the Oyster Pay as You Go (PAYG) system. This consent was granted. There have been no other representations on changes to rail fares on the Integrated Kent Franchise from January 2011.

Railways: Franchises

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend the franchise period for future train operating company franchises; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Government believe that longer rail franchises will deliver enhanced private sector investment in the network and the facilities passengers want. Specific proposals for longer contracts are set out in the consultation "Reforming Rail Franchising", found on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-28/
	and which closes on 18 October.

Railways: Franchises

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department took into account the past payment record of National Express in its decision to extend the East Anglia rail franchise.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport's recent decision to exercise its right to a contractual extension of the East Anglia franchise was taken in the context of ongoing work on the following:
	(i) the consultation on reforming rail franchising
	(ii) Sir Roy McNulty's Rail Value for Money study.
	The contractual extension agreed will better enable the conclusions of the above two initiatives to inform decisions on re-letting the franchise.

Railways: Greater London

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on Government funding for work to upgrade railway lines in the London region owned by Network Rail.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State has met Network Rail and talked, at a high level, about Network Rail's plans for upgrading the network. Department for Transport officials meet Network Rail regularly to discuss progress on their enhancement projects in the London area.
	Capital enhancements are set on a five year control period - the current one being 2009-14. A number of enhancements are to be delivered over this period in London and further upgrades are planned for control period five.

Railways: Overcrowding

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what methodology his Department uses to measure congestion on trains; and what his most recent estimate is of the level of congestion on trains serving Leeds.

Theresa Villiers: Available capacity is deemed to be the number of standard class seats on the train for journeys of more than 20 minutes; for journeys of 20 minutes or less, an allowance for standing room is also made. The allowance for standing varies with the type of rolling stock but, for modern sliding door stock, is typically approximately 35% of the number of seats.
	Train operators have a responsibility to allocate their available rolling stock resources to cater for patterns of passenger demand, minimising any congestion by ensuring that any crowding is not disproportionately targeted on any one service or group of services. The Department for Transport monitors train plans submitted by train operators, to verify that they are exercising best endeavours in this regard.
	The Secretary of State has not made a recent estimate on the level of congestion on trains serving Leeds.

Roads: Cornwall

George Eustice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency spent on maintaining the sections of the A30 and A38 trunk roads in Cornwall in 2009.

Michael Penning: In 2009, approximately £9.1 million was spent by the Highways Agency on maintaining the strategic trunk roads in Cornwall-£3.6 million on the A38 and £5.5 million on the A30.
	These figures include all maintenance expenditure on roads, verges and structures, including the design and delivery of associated infrastructure renewal schemes. Additionally it includes items such as Saltash Tunnel maintenance, Incident Support Unit provision and winter services.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the projected funding requirement for motorway and trunk road maintenance in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Michael Penning: The projected funding requirements for motorway and trunk road maintenance are subject to the outcome of the Spending Review.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency spent on motorway and trunk road maintenance in each year since 2007.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency spent the following annually on motorway and trunk road maintenance in each year since 2007:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2006-07 850 
			 2007-08 878 
			 2008-09 914 
			 2009-10 1,307

Roads: Safety

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the specific road safety grant; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The larger resource element of the specific road safety grant was absorbed into the general area based grant from April 2008 allowing local authorities to set their own priorities. The future of this funding after 2010-11 is being considered in the comprehensive spending review.

Roads: Safety

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the national road safety strategy.

Michael Penning: Britain's roads are among the safest in the world. The Secretary of State for Transport is considering what further action should be taken to make them safer still and expects to decide whether there is a role for a further national road safety strategy, before the current one expires at the end of this year.

Sheffield Station

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) guidance and  (b) instructions his Department has issued to East Midlands Trains on arrangements for the inspection of tickets at Sheffield station as part of their responsibilities for revenue protection in their franchise agreement.

Theresa Villiers: The East Midlands Trains (EMT) Franchise Agreement includes a conditional obligation to install automatic ticket gates at Sheffield station. If gates are not installed, the franchisee is required to undertake revenue protection by way of manual ticket checks.

Stansted Airport

Alan Haselhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to encourage BAA to dispose of the properties in the vicinity of Stansted Airport which were purchased with a view to airport expansion.

Theresa Villiers: BAA purchased properties in the vicinity of Stansted airport as part of their non-statutory Home Owners Support Scheme to protect eligible home owners from the effects of blight and allow them to opt to sell their homes to BAA and move away in advance of any potential planning consent for a second runway.
	The coalition Government have made absolutely clear that they do not support a second runway at Stansted. However, the arrangements to which my right hon. Friend refers were private ones, entered into voluntarily between home owners and BAA. Any disposal of these properties is a matter for the airport operator.

Tourism: British Nationals Abroad

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many UK citizens were stranded abroad following failures of tour operators and airlines in 2010; and how many of them were not covered by the ATOL protection scheme.

Theresa Villiers: Information is not available in the form requested.
	For the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, 2,445 passengers were repatriated under the ATOL protection scheme after the collapse of their travel operators. Since April 2010 the CAA estimates that 43,000 passengers have been repatriated under ATOL.

Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings Ministers in his Department and its predecessors had with representatives of trade unions in each month since May 1997; which unions Ministers met on each occasion; what discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: I regret that this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

Aortic Aneurysm: Screening

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date he expects the NHS abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme to have been fully rolled out; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: It is expected that full national roll out of the NHS abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme will be completed by the end of 2012-13.

Asthma

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to refer asthma to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence as a topic for the development of a quality standard.

Paul Burstow: The National Quality Board advises the Secretary of State on topics for National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard development. Asthma is one of the topics that is being considered as part of the topic selection process.
	National Quality Board papers and minutes, which include information on the Board's consideration of potential Quality Standard topics are published on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/NationalQualityBoard/index.htm

Asthma

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to work together with the devolved administrations on extending the forthcoming National Audit of Asthma Deaths across the UK.

Paul Burstow: The Asthma Deaths Audit is a year-long audit of asthma deaths in England, which is due to commence in 2011. The primary intention is to understand the circumstances surrounding asthma deaths in order that any avoidable factors are identified and ways to avoid such factors are understood and addressed by those designing and providing services for people with asthma in future. These 'lessons' will be communicated to the respiratory community so that practice can change accordingly, and used to inform future policy.
	This study will be undertaken in the tradition of 'confidential inquiries' which have enabled the examination of the circumstances surrounding deaths to be explored in order that changes can be made to future care. In this study, it will not only be the medical care the patient received that will be investigated, but also factors such as awareness in schools and the workplace-where appropriate, environmental conditions prevailing at the time of death, the patient's understanding of their condition and ability to self-manage, and the views of the close family of the person who has died. All these perspectives will help us to understand the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and enable the learning to feed into future policy and services for people with asthma.
	We are in discussions with the devolved Administrations about whether they would like to be involved in the Asthma Deaths Audit and are actively exploring the possibility of making the audit cover the whole of the United Kingdom.

Back Pain: Health Services

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of NHS hospitals have a spinal surgery unit  (a) able to treat and diagnose lower back pain and  (b) with rehabilitation expertise;
	(2)  how many specialist spinal surgery units within the NHS are  (a) able to treat and diagnose lower back pain and  (b) have rehabilitation expertise.

Paul Burstow: Information is not held centrally on the number of units within the national health service carrying out spinal surgery. All such units would be expected to have the expertise to identify patients with lower back pain who could benefit from surgical intervention, to carry out such treatments, and to have arrangements for provision of appropriate rehabilitation. Many other clinicians in the NHS are involved in the diagnosis of lower back pain, including clinicians in primary care and in specialist pain management services.

Balance North East

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) he and  (b) officials of his Department have discussed with NHS North East the (i) establishment and (ii) funding of Balance North East.

Anne Milton: Balance was established in 2008 by a wide range of organisations involved in people's alcohol use, including health services, police, voluntary agencies and local authorities. Balance is funded by the primary care trusts in the north-east as well as local police forces to tackle alcohol-related issues in a cross-cutting way. There have been no discussions with departmental Ministers. However, there were discussions with officials at that time and these have continued.
	The Department has provided funding to each region to support the reduction of harm from alcohol at a local level. In the north-east, Balance has been commissioned, to undertake this role.

Benzodiazepines: Prescriptions

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of prescriptions for  (a) diazepam and  (b) other benzodiazepine medications issued on NHS prescription in each of the last 10 years.

Simon Burns: The net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for diazepam and other benzodiazepine drugs in the period 2000 to 2009 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Net ingredient cost (£000) 
			   Diazepam  Other benzodiazepine( 1)  drugs 
			 2000 5,210.1 18,778.7 
			 2001 4,519.3 17,279.3 
			 2002 4,476.1 16,733.0 
			 2003 4,369.4 16,351.3 
			 2004 4,298.1 15,792.6 
			 2005 6,154.2 18,479.1 
			 2006 8,249.9 25,118.0 
			 2007 8,670.1 37,887.2 
			 2008 6,104.8 46,734.5 
			 2009 7,629.2 47,371.7 
			 (1) Benzodiazepine drugs are classified in the following British National Formulary sections; 4.1.1 Hypnotics , 4.1.2 Anxiolytics, 4.8.1 Control of epilepsy, 4.8.2 Drugs used in status epileptics and 15.1.4 Sedative and analgesic peri-operative drugs.  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system

Bone Cancer: Children

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to improve survival rates of children with osteosarcoma; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We want to improve survival outcomes for all cancer patients, including children. It is now generally agreed that the most important reasons for lower survival rates in England compared with other European countries are low public awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, delays in people presenting to their doctors, and patients having more advanced disease at diagnosis.
	We have asked National Cancer Director, Professor Sir Mike Richards, to lead a review of the 'Cancer Reform Strategy' (CRS). The review will align the cancer strategy with the White Paper, 'Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS' which was published on 12 July 2010; set the direction for the next five years, taking account of progress since the CRS was published in December 2007; and show how outcomes can be improved.
	Key areas for consideration will be how to increase public awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer to ensure that people are more likely to go to their general practitioner if they experience persistent symptoms, and how we can support primary health care professionals to diagnose cancer earlier.
	The review will consult and utilise the experience of various CRS initiatives, existing advisory groups, cancer charities, industry and professional groups. The children and young people's cancer advisory group, co-chaired by both Mike Richards (National Cancer Director) and Sheila Shribman (National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services), will be contributing to the review. We aim to publish an updated strategy in the winter.

Chlamydia: Screening

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for his Department's chlamydia screening programme  (a) in 2011 and  (b) in subsequent years.

Anne Milton: Increasing chlamydia screening volumes remains part of Tier 2 of the Vital Signs framework. The Revision to the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2010-11, published on 21 June 2010, stressed the need for the NHS to ensure that it continues to deliver agreed plans with no reduction in the standards or quality of services, for the rest of the 2010-11 year. A copy of the Operating Framework has already been placed in the Library.
	Improving sexual health by reducing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia, is very important, particularly for young people. While some progress has been made much more needs to be done to ensure people get the right information and advice to make responsible choices, and we are considering how we can tackle these issues. We also need to improve quality and value for money as the National Chlamydia Screening Programme evolves.
	Later this year, we will publish a White Paper setting out further details of a new public health service and our programme for public health.

Coeliac Disease: Health Education

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information the NHS provides to people diagnosed with coeliac disease on managing their condition.

Paul Burstow: The NHS Choices website at:
	www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx
	has detailed information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of coeliac disease. This information is specifically written for health professionals and those newly diagnosed with coeliac disease. The site also has information on how to ensure a gluten-free diet, with examples of foods to avoid and those safe to eat.

Dementia: Carers

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he last met dementia carers from  (a) Stevenage and  (b) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what  (a) financial and  (b) other support his Department provides to carers and families of dementia patients (i) nationally and (ii) in East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met separately with dementia carers from Stevenage. He did attend the Fifth International Carers Conference on 9 July 2010 in Leeds, where he talked to many carers who provide support to people with a range of conditions, including dementia. The conference was also broadcast globally via Carers World radio.
	The Department's Carers Grant has provided £256 million in 2010-11 to local authorities to enable them to develop innovative and personalised outcomes reflecting the needs of their local carers, including carers of those with dementia. The grant includes £2.5 million for local authorities to provide emergency cover for carers. There is also close alignment between the work of the Carers and National Dementia Strategies to support carers.
	The Department has also invested £100 million in primary care trust (PCT) baselines in 2010-11 (including East and North Hertfordshire PCT) to enable them to support carers, including those caring for people with dementia. The Department did not set out how PCTs should spend their resources in 2010-11. PCTs have been given the flexibility to decide how much to invest on individual priorities in the light of their local circumstances.

Dementia: Health Services

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met clinicians to discuss the care and management of dementia.

Paul Burstow: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently met and talked to a wide range of clinicians in relation to his responsibilities. He has also met with the National Clinical Director for Dementia, Professor Alistair Burns.

Dental Services

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS orthodontists there are per head of population in each primary care trust area in England.

Simon Burns: The information available centrally, which is for orthodontists employed by dental hospitals and primary care trusts broken down by strategic health authorities, is in the following table. However, most orthodontists work as independent contractors in primary care settings. In addition, some general dental practitioners also undertake simple orthodontic treatments. Information on the number of independent contractors is not held centrally but relevant information is contained in the "Report of the Orthodontic Workforce Survey of the United Kingdom February 2005", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	
		
			  Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): dental staff in the Orthodontics specialty-as at 30 September 2009 
			  Numbers (headcount) 
			Headcount  Headcount per 100,000 population 
			  England 550 1.07 
			 
			 Q30 North East 36 1.40 
			 Q31 North West 81 1.18 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber 55 1.06 
			 Q33 East Midlands 47 1.06 
			 Q34 West Midlands 50 0.92 
			 Q35 East of England 37 0.65 
			 Q36 London 122 1.60 
			 Q37 South East Coast 38 0.88 
			 Q38 South Central 27 0.66 
			 Q39 South West 57 1.09 
			  Data quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Mid year 2008 Population Estimate (2001 Census Based), Office for National Statistics

Dental Services

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) dentists and  (b) orthodontists on NHS contracts there were in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The numbers of national health service dentists, as at 31 March 2006 are available in Annex E of the "NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006". Annex E provides information by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT).
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2010 are available in Table Gl of Annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2009/10" report. Information is provided for England and by SHA and PCT. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report, published on 18 August 2010, has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0910
	These published figures relate to a headcount and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
	This measure is based on a revised methodology and supersedes any previously published work force figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March.
	Separate information of the number of dentists with orthodontic contracts is not available. The following table gives the number of dental staff in the orthodontic specialty employed by dental hospitals and PCTs broken down by organisation. Access to orthodontic services varies between areas. We will be addressing this problem through the introduction of a new dental contract the aim of which is to improve the quality of patient care and increase access to NHS dental services, with an additional focus on improving the oral health of schoolchildren.
	
		
			  Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): dental staff in the orthodontics specialty by organisation, as at 30 September each year 
			  numbers (headcount) and full-time equivalents 
			2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			HC  FTE  HC  FTE  HC  FTE  HC  FTE  HC  FTE 
			  England 552 355 544 362 526 352 548 363 550 380 
			 
			 5C5 Newham PCT - - - - 6 6 3 3 1 1 
			 5CQ Milton Keynes PCT - - 2 2 2 2 1 1 - - 
			 5F1 Plymouth Teaching PCT - - 1 1 1 1 - - - - 
			 5F5 Salford PCT - - - - - - 1 1 - - 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1 0 1 0 - - - - - - 
			 5KG South Tyneside PCT 1 0 1 0 - - - - - - 
			 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 16 14 23 22 22 21 12 12 14 14 
			 5MD Coventry Teaching PCT - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 
			 5NM Halton and St Helens PCT - - - - - - - - 1 1 
			 RA2 Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust 7 6 6 5 4 3 6 5 5 4 
			 RA4 East Somerset NHS Trust - - - - - - - - 1 0 
			 RA7 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 17 17 26 24 13 13 12 12 14 13 
			 RA9 South Devon Health Care NHS Trust 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 
			 RAE Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 5 4 3 2 6 5 3 2 5 3 
			 RAJ Southend Hospital NHS Trust 5 2 6 2 4 0 4 0 2 0 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 9 6 8 7 7 6 6 5 6 5 
			 RBA Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust 4 1 5 2 7 4 4 2 6 4 
			 RBD West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust 7 3 8 4 8 5 7 5 6 4 
			 RBK Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust 3 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 
			 RBL Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 
			 RBN St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RBS Royal Liverpool Childrens NHS Trust 2 1 2 1 3 2 2 2 3 2 
			 RBT Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RC1 Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust 3 1 4 1 4 1 - - 2 1 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 1 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 RC9 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust - - - - - - - - 1 0 
			 RCB York Health Services NHS Trust 5 4 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 
			 RCD Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust 4 1 3 0 3 0 4 1 3 0 
			 RCX Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RD1 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 3 2 - - - - 1 1 2 2 
			 RD8 Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust 5 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RDE Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RDZ The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 8 3 7 3 7 3 6 2 6 2 
			 REF Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 3 1 3 1 4 3 3 2 
			 REM Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - 
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 7 2 7 2 6 2 7 2 6 1 
			 RFF Barnsley District General Hospital NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RFK Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust 2 2 - - - - - - - - 
			 RFR Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RFS Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust 2 1 2 1 4 1 4 1 5 3 
			 RFW West Middlesex University NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 1 0 1 0 3 2 2 2 - - 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 3 2 3 2 3 2 4 2 4 3 
			 RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3 2 3 2 3 3 4 3 4 4 
			 RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust 4 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 
			 RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 
			 RGR West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 - - 1 1 1 1 - - 
			 RGT Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 4 2 7 4 7 4 6 3 4 3 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 3 3 2 2 1 1 3 2 - - 
			 RH8 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - 1 1 
			 RHM Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 4 2 3 2 4 2 3 2 
			 RHQ Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 9 8 12 8 10 8 11 9 11 9 
			 RHU Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 6 6 7 7 5 5 4 4 5 5 
			 RHW Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 
			 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust 7 5 3 3 7 6 5 4 7 7 
			 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 7 7 6 6 4 4 8 8 7 7 
			 RJC South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 
			 RJD Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 2 0 2 0 2 0 3 1 1 0 
			 RJE North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust 4 2 4 2 3 2 5 3 6 4 
			 RJF Burton Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 6 3 
			 RJH Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust 4 2 - - - - - - - - 
			 RJL Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust 2 0 2 0 3 0 4 1 4 1 
			 RJR Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust 7 5 7 5 6 5 7 6 4 4 
			 RJZ King's College Hospital NHS Trust 19 10 7 6 8 7 10 8 13 10 
			 RK9 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 6 5 6 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 
			 RKB University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 7 2 5 1 3 0 3 0 2 0 
			 RL4 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RLN City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust 4 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 
			 RLQ Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust - - - - - - - - 1 1 
			 RLT George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 2 0 2 0 - - - - - - 
			 RM1 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust 6 3 5 3 5 3 6 2 7 2 
			 RM2 South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 7 6 7 6 5 5 4 4 5 5 
			 RM3 Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 - - - - 4 3 
			 RM4 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RMC Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 
			 RMP Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 5 2 5 2 5 2 5 2 6 3 
			 RN1 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 4 1 4 1 3 1 3 1 2 0 
			 RN3 Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust 3 3 2 1 6 1 5 0 5 0 
			 RN5 North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 1 2 1 
			 RNA Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 
			 RNJ Barts and The London NHS Trust 19 16 23 20 11 8 30 23 27 22 
			 RNL North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 
			 RNQ Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 
			 RNS Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust 2 1 2 1 1 0 - - - - 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 9 8 - - 10 9 10 9 9 8 
			 RP5 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 6 3 5 3 5 3 - - - - 
			 RPA Medway NHS Trust 4 2 4 3 5 3 6 4 7 4 
			 RPC Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 14 11 8 6 9 8 10 7 6 4 
			 RPL Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 3 0 4 1 4 1 3 0 - - 
			 RPR Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 2 - - 
			 RQ3 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust - - - - - - 1 1 - - 
			 RQ6 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals University NHS Trust 7 6 2 1 5 4 9 7 9 8 
			 RQ8 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 - - - - - - 
			 RQM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 1 0 - - - - - - 1 1 
			 RQW Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 - - 
			 RR1 Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust - - 4 2 4 2 4 2 2 1 
			 RR8 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 16 16 17 16 20 19 16 15 17 19 
			 RRF Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 2 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 23 16 21 17 22 17 29 23 27 22 
			 RTD Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 9 6 8 6 10 7 10 6 10 7 
			 RTE Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2 2 9 9 6 6 8 8 9 9 
			 RTF Northumbria Health Care NHS Trust - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 
			 RTG Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 10 6 9 6 9 6 7 5 6 5 
			 RTH Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 6 5 6 5 6 5 5 4 5 4 
			 RTK Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust 2 0 3 0 3 1 4 3 4 3 
			 RTR South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust 18 8 21 8 20 8 23 9 22 7 
			 RTV 5 Borough Partnership NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - 1 1 
			 RTX Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 2 1 2 1 4 3 4 3 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust - - - - 1 1 - - - - 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 4 3 3 2 4 3 4 3 6 5 
			 RVR Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust 1 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RVV East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 RVW North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 2 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 - - 
			 RVY Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 4 2 3 1 1 0 3 2 3 2 
			 RW3 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 6 5 4 3 4 3 4 3 
			 RW6 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 2 0 3 2 2 1 2 0 
			 RWA Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 12 5 5 2 6 4 2 1 4 3 
			 RWD United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 14 6 16 7 17 6 19 8 18 6 
			 RWE University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust 8 5 11 8 9 5 9 5 11 7 
			 RWG West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 3 2 3 2 4 3 4 3 
			 RWH East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 2 0 2 0 - - 4 1 4 1 
			 RWJ Stockport NHS Foundation Trust 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 
			 RWP Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 5 2 6 1 5 3 4 3 3 2 
			 RWW Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust 6 3 7 3 7 3 10 6 12 6 
			 RX1 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - - 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 
			 RXC East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 
			 RXF Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 4 3 4 3 4 2 3 2 
			 RXH Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 3 2 5 4 5 4 5 4 4 3 
			 RXN Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 
			 RXP County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 
			 RXQ Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 6 4 6 4 7 5 9 6 6 4 
			 RXR East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 1 1 5 2 5 3 6 4 
			 RXT Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Trust - - 1 1 - - - - - - 
			 RXW Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust 7 2 7 2 6 2 7 2 8 3 
			 RYQ South London Healthcare NHS Trust - - - - - - - - 5 4 
			 RYR Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust - - - - - - - - 8 3 
			  Note s :  1. "-" denotes zero.  2.  Data quality The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.   Source:  The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Simon Burns: The latest available costing data are provided by the 2008-09 UK audit agencies benchmarking exercise. This shows a cost of £6.27 per invoice processed by the accounts payable function. The results are not in the public domain but are used internally to measure, compare and improve the value for money of support services across the public sector.
	Analysis of payments made in the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 indicates that a total of 55,166 payments were made, of which 38,047 (69%) were made electronically and 17,119 (31%) by HM Paymaster Payable Order (a cheque equivalent). All the Payable Order payments were made by the Department of Work and Pensions on behalf of the Department of Health in respect of payments for medical treatment received overseas. Payment systems are being revised so that all payments will be made electronically by the end of the current financial year.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's Chief Scientific Officer since 6 May 2010.

Simon Burns: Ministers at the Department meet Chief Scientific Officer Professor Dame Sally C. Davies regularly in the normal course of business and have done so since 6 May.

Departmental Lobbying

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr Chope) of 13 July 2010,  Official Report, column 706W, on lobbying, which organisations in receipt of public funds from his Department have made representations  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly to his Department on policy issues in each of the last five years; and how much each received from his Department in each such year.

Simon Burns: The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The Department's library service is responsible for central purchasing of newspapers, magazines and periodicals for library use and for retention by individual units. Total expenditure for the financial years 1997-08 to 2009-10 was:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 1997-98 415,890 
			 1998-99 423,560 
			 1999-2000 419,490 
			 2000-01 423,160 
			 2001-02 469,880 
			 2002-03 356,510 
			 2003-04 350,036 
			 2004-05 380,025 
			 2005-06 395,148 
			 2006-07 350,930 
			 2007-08 317,386 
			 2008-09 298,022 
			 2009-10 249,152

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of outcomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Simon Burns: The Department will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken into account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Simon Burns: The Department has appointed fewer than five secondees to established civil service posts since 7 May 2010. The names of the organisations from which the individuals are seconded are being withheld in order to protect confidentiality.

Drugs: Advertising

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to end statutory restrictions on the advertising of medicines.

Simon Burns: No. The statutory restrictions have been agreed under European law for the protection of public health. They are designed to ensure that the public are protected from misleading advertising and that health professionals are not offered inappropriate inducements to prescribe or supply medicines.

Drugs: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Peterborough City Council area used the needle exchange facilities offered by Peterborough Primary Care Trust in each quarter since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Information on the number of people supplied with clean needles is not collected centrally, by either the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse or the Department of Health.
	Safer Peterborough Partnership, the local partnership responsible for commissioning a system of local drug treatment services, including the provision of sterile needles and syringes to injecting drug users, may be able to provide more detailed information.
	Safer Peterborough Partnership
	Peterborough City Council
	3rd Floor
	Bayard Place
	Peterborough
	PE1 1FB

Epilepsy: Nurses

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason his Department has decided not to proceed with the proposed comparative study between a hospital  (a) with and  (b) without an epilepsy specialist nurse to be undertaken by its long-term conditions team;
	(2)  if he will require NHS trusts to collect data on the  (a) costs and benefits and  (b) outcomes for patients of the use of (i) epilepsy specialist nurses and (ii) specialist consultants treating epilepsy patients.

Paul Burstow: This Government have decided not to proceed with the comparative study.
	Department officials met with epilepsy stakeholders on 1 April 2010. It was agreed that there was already good evidence about the role of Epilepsy Specialist Nurses (ESNs), as well as specialist nurses as a whole. It was also felt that effort should instead be focused on developing a business case template for commissioners to use to make the case for improving epilepsy services (including the provision of ESNs) as this would have more impact than a comparative study.
	In future, outcomes, which the national health service will be expected to achieve, will be set via the NHS Outcomes Framework, and the NHS Commissioning Board will hold GP commissioners to account for delivery through the Framework.
	Data on the costs and benefits, and outcomes for patients, of the use of epilepsy specialist nurses and consultants are not collected centrally. However, existing guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence emphasises the role of epilepsy specialist nurses in providing quality care.
	It is the responsibility of local health bodies to ensure that they commission and provide effective services, and to look at the effective use of their work force, especially under their Quality, Innovation Productivity and Prevention programme.

Food: Safety

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what programmes the Food Standards Agency has to raise food safety standards in catering establishments.

Anne Milton: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has provided printed materials and targeted financial grants to local authorities to ensure food business operators are complying with their responsibilities under the food hygiene regulations.
	In direct relation to catering establishments, the FSA is working with local authorities to introduce a national food hygiene rating scheme that will provide consumers with consistent information about the hygiene standards in catering establishments. Providing information to consumers in this way will empower consumers to make informed choices and encourage caterers to raise hygiene standards.
	Safer food, better business (SFBB) will provide support for small catering businesses when the FSA's food hygiene rating scheme is launched. SFBB was developed by the FSA as a practical approach to allow small catering businesses to understand food safety, put in place a simple food safety management system which should improve standards, better protect consumers and allow the business to comply with the law.

Gender Recognition: Surgery

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 656W, on gender recognition, what criteria will be used to decide when it is practicable to extend choice of treatment and provider.

Paul Burstow: Public consultation on extending choice will start in October 2010. Consultation responses will help to inform work on extending choice and what the next steps will be.

General Practitioners

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to encourage general practitioner practices to work together rather than separately in the same community.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" and subsequent engagement document "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients" set out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	Under our proposed model, GP practices will jointly form consortia to commission the vast majority of health care required for their local population. However, GP practices will remain independent contractors and therefore able to choose who they work with locally in providing primary medical care to their registered population. Nevertheless, we believe, most practices will see the benefits from working closely within their local community to both commission and provide the best care and appropriate services for the people they serve. That is why practices will have flexibility within the new legislative framework to form commissioning consortia in ways they think will secure the best health care and health outcomes for their patients and locality.

General Practitioners: Disadvantaged

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that general practitioner practices based in areas with high levels of deprivation continue to have access to adequate funding.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", sets out the Government's intention that the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for allocating national health service revenue resources to general practitioner consortia on the basis of seeking to secure equivalent access to NHS services relative to the burden of disease and disability, and managing an overall NHS commissioner revenue limit. The Board will have an explicit duty to promote equality and tackle inequalities in access to health care.

General Practitioners: Rural Areas

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that patients in rural areas where there is only one general practitioner practice in reasonable travelling distance are provided with greater choice.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS" gave a firm commitment that every patient should have a clear right to register with a general practitioner (GP) practice of their choice. Our proposals are not intended to suggest that many patients will want to choose a practice a long way from where they live. In many cases, it will make sense for patients to choose a nearby practice within a reasonable travelling distance. What we wish to end are the current arrangements that prevent people from registering with a more distant GP practice, for instance one near where they work, where they have made an informed decision that this will provide the best and most responsive service for them.
	In areas where there is a particularly sparse population some patients may find they have to travel further if they wish to exercise their choice. In future, the NHS Commissioning Board will need to consider whether additional local primary care services should be commissioned where local patients are dissatisfied with access to primary care services, or to work with existing local national health service organisations to improve or reshape provision to meet the needs of the local population.

Health Services: Trade Unions

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to recognise and encourage the role of trade unions in providing private health provision for their members; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	It is a matter for trade unions to decide what services, including the provision of private health care, they should provide their members. The Government do not wish to influence such internal union affairs.

Hospitals: Parking

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Dudley South (Chris Kelly) of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, column 220W, what recent discussions his Department has had with hospital trusts on the effect of car parking charges on people requiring regular outpatient treatment; whether his Department has issued guidance to trusts on their responsibilities in this respect; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department has considered a wide range of views provided in contributions to the recent consultation on national health service car parking, including many hospital trusts. The Government have now published their response, which makes clear that hospitals are responsible for setting their own policy on car parking, taking into account local operational circumstances and local community interests. It also makes clear that local policies should include fair concessions for all patients whose health care needs require extended or frequent access to hospital. The response also highlights best practice guidance provided by the NHS Confederation.
	A copy of the Government's response "NHS car parking: response to consultation" has already been placed in the Library.

Medical Records

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to  (a) ensure that patients have greater access to their medical records and  (b) make it easier for patients to change to another general practitioner practice.

Simon Burns: As we made clear in "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", published in July 2010, we will enable patients to have control of their health records. This will start with access to the records held by their general practitioner (GP) and over time this will extend to health records held by all providers. The patient will determine who else can access their records and will easily be able to see changes when they are made to their records. We will consult on arrangements, including appropriate confidentiality safeguards, later this year.
	We have also given a commitment that every patient should have a clear right to choose to register with any GP practice with an open list, without being restricted by where they live; that people should be able to change their GP quickly and straightforwardly if, and when, it is right for them, but equally that they can stay with their GP if they wish when they move house.

Medical Treatments

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that there is not postcode provision for some drugs or treatments.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", makes clear that we will ensure better access for patients to effective drugs and innovative treatments at a price that secures value for the national health service by moving to a system of value-based medicines pricing when the current pharmaceutical price regulation scheme expires at the end of 2013.
	As interim measures, we have announced an additional £50 million extra funding for cancer drugs in this financial year and we are creating a cancer drugs fund, which will operate from April 2011.

Mental Health Services

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to increase the level of access to long-term support of those with mental health issues.

Paul Burstow: The Government are developing a new strategy for mental health and well-being in England that is based on an alliance of government departments, local government, the independent sector, professions, communities and individuals. It will address services, outcomes from services and wider public health issues. The strategy will support the aims of "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" and forthcoming policy on public health and social care. It will also recognise the needs of people with mental health problems as a whole, specifically the links between mental and physical health and the role of social services.
	Rather than stipulating how services should be delivered at local level, our focus will be on making services patient-led, based on the best clinical evidence, responsive both to patients' choice, and their wish to manage their own care. We want the national health service to deal with the full parameters of a patient's recovery, including helping them return to work and get their life back after illness.
	Our confirmation of the final £70 million instalment of growth funding from the current spending round for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is enabling primary care trusts to broaden the geographical coverage of services, meaning more people can get help, and to increase the range of therapies available, giving people more choice and access to the right psychological support.
	Mental health matters for all of us, and we know that mental well-being is linked to physical health outcomes, and people's life expectancy, productivity, educational achievement and to potential reductions in violence and crime. The Government will set out their programme for public health in a White Paper on public health later this year, closely co-ordinated with the strategy on mental health. The forthcoming Health Bill will support the creation of a new Public Health Service (PHS), to integrate and streamline existing health improvement and protection bodies and functions. The PHS will aim to secure improvements in the health of the population as a whole, including, of course, the health of people with mental health problems.

Mental Health Services: Equality

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the incidence of racial inequality in the provision of mental health services; and whether he plans to take further steps to reduce that incidence.

Paul Burstow: The figures in the "Count Me In" census for 2009, carried out in March each year by the Care Quality Commission, provide the most recent published statistics on the ethnicity of the mental health in-patient population. We have recently announced that, in the months ahead, we will publish a revised mental health strategy. Reducing inequality is part of that strategy.

Midwives: Manpower

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant midwives there were in each region in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Anne Milton: The number of consultant midwives in each region of England is not identified separately.
	However, numbers are available for nurse consultants in maternity services. Consultant midwives are included in the nurse consultants staff group but we cannot identify the precise numbers of consultant midwives within this staff group.
	
		
			  National health service hospital and community health services: Nurse consultants in maternity services and registered midwives by strategic health authority areas as at 30 September each year- England 
			  Headcount 
			   Nurse consultants  Registered midwives 
			   2008  2009  2008  2009 
			 England 63 59 25,664 26,451 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority 3 3 1,331 1,382 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority 7 9 3,892 3,855 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 10 6 2,472 2,565 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 2 2 1,771 1,877 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 2 2 2,850 2,918 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority 2 2 2,476 2,560 
			 London Strategic Health Authority 26 24 4,785 4,866 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 6 4 1,915 2,028 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority 4 6 1,735 1,783 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority 1 1 2,437 2,617 
			  Note: Data Quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Neurology: South West

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to increase the provision of ongoing physiotherapy and hydrotherapy for people with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions in Salisbury and the South West.

Paul Burstow: The national service framework for long-term (neurological) conditions sets standards for care for people with neurological and neuromuscular conditions, including muscular dystrophy. It sets out 11 quality requirements of evidence-based markers of good practice in delivering services. It is a matter for the local national health service to commission services to meet the needs of its local population.

Neurology: South West

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has had discussions with  (a) the South West Specialised Commissioning Group and  (b) the South West Strategic Health Authority on the implementation of the South West Neuromuscular Strategy.

Paul Burstow: The implementation of the South West Neuromuscular Strategy is a matter for the local national health service.

NHS

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to deliver local control of health services; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that such local control is economically efficient.

Simon Burns: The White Paper and subsequent engagement document "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients" set out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	Under our proposed model, GP practices will jointly form consortia to commission the vast majority of health care required for their local population. This will bring together responsibility for management of care with the management of resources.
	GP consortia will have a high level of freedom and more responsibility and control over commissioning budgets, but in return they will be accountable to the NHS Commissioning Board for managing public funds. The NHS Commissioning Board will hold consortia to account for both the stewardship of national health service resources and for the outcomes they achieve as commissioners.
	In addition, to ensure that local services work together effectively the Government propose to establish new statutory arrangements to strengthen the role of local authorities. Local authorities will have greater responsibility in four areas:
	leading joint strategic needs assessments to ensure coherent and co-ordinated commissioning strategies;
	supporting local voice, and the exercise of patient choice;
	promoting joined up commissioning of local NHS services, social care and health improvement; and
	leading on local health improvement and prevention activity.
	Under the proposals set out in "Local democratic legitimacy in health", local government will have an enhanced responsibility and a statutory duty for promoting partnership working and integrated delivery of public services across the NHS, social care, public health and other services.

NHS

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to enable clinical professionals to have autonomy in determining which services they provide to patients.

Simon Burns: This Government are determined that health care professionals are empowered to use their skill and judgment to provide the best care and outcomes for their patients from the individual clinical interaction through to design and commissioning of services.
	The White Paper and subsequent engagement document "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients" set out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board, which will also be directly responsible for commissioning specialist secondary care services and primary care services which would not be appropriate to be delegated to consortia.
	In addition, we published the "Revision to the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2010-11" on 21 June 2010 setting out our intention to review the clinical relevance of all existing indicators with the removal of those that have little or no clinical relevance.

NHS

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the resources in the NHS consumed but not required in the most recent period for which information is available.

Simon Burns: "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" set out our aim to release national health service efficiency savings of up to £20 billion by 2014. This includes significant reductions to the cost of bureaucracy, including cutting NHS management costs by over 45%, and reducing the number and cost of health arm's length bodies.
	However, while there is scope for improving the efficiency with which resources are consumed in the NHS, this does not mean that those resources are not required. The Government have pledged that health spending will rise in real terms in each year of this Parliament and delivery of the envisaged efficiency improvements and reductions in bureaucracy will free resources to reinvest in order for the NHS to meet rapidly rising demands and to improve quality and outcomes.

NHS

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to enable NHS managers to express their views on the management of health service provision.

Simon Burns: Managers' views and experiences of working in the national health service are currently being obtained through the national NHS staff survey, run in all trusts. The survey asks questions about a wide range of issues fundamental to the delivery of quality health services, including aspects related to the management of jobs and individual NHS organisations as a whole.
	In addition, NHS managers are represented on the Social Partnership Forum, which exists to bring together NHS Employers, trade unions and the Department of Health to discuss, debate and involve partners in the development and implementation of the work force implications of policy.
	The Department is also running a full public consultation on components of the NHS White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", which spells out the long-term vision for the future of the NHS. The views of those who work in the NHS, including managers, will form much of the feedback the Department receives as a result of this major consultative exercise.

NHS Direct: Standards

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on the standards of medical service delivered by NHS Direct of a reduction in the number of qualified nurses answering calls.

Simon Burns: NHS Direct has no plans to reduce the proportion of calls to 0845 4647 that are answered by nurses.

NHS: Finance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to safeguard healthcare consortia in cases where a local hospital provider is not able to keep within budget.

Simon Burns: The proposals set out in the White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", set out that commissioners will not be expected to provide additional funding for failing providers. If a provider becomes financially unsustainable, Monitor (as the economic regulator) will be able to step in and keep essential services running.
	These proposals are subject to an on-going consultation (which closes on 11 October 2010) and further details are set out in the consultation document, "Liberating the NHS: Regulating Healthcare Providers". A copy has already been placed in the Library.

NHS: Finance

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent 
	(1)  assessment he has made of regional differences in health funding;
	(2)  steps he has taken to ensure the equitable distribution of health funding, with particular reference to Buckinghamshire.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" makes clear our commitment to the fair and efficient allocation of resources. The remit of the NHS Commissioning Board will be to make allocations on the basis of securing equivalent access to national health service services in all areas relative to the prospective burden of disease and disability.
	The distribution of revenue funding to primary care trusts is based on a funding formula overseen by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA), comprising general practitioners, academics and NHS managers. During the transition to the NHS Commissioning Board, ACRA will continue to provide independent advice to the Secretary of State on the equitable distribution of revenue funding. Further details of allocations after 2010-11 will be announced after the spending review has concluded.

NHS: Reorganisation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he expects his proposals for structural change contained in the Health White Paper to take effect.

Simon Burns: Chapter 6 of the White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", sets out the proposed timetable for our reforms. Where the reforms require legislation, this will be subject to parliamentary approval. The Department is currently consulting on the implementation of the White Paper and on the four consultation documents that followed the White Paper ("Transparency in outcomes-a framework for the NHS"; "Commissioning for patients"; "Local democratic legitimacy in health" and "Regulating healthcare providers").
	We expect the majority of the structural reforms will come into effect between 2012 and 2014.

Obesity

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to tackle health issues arising from childhood obesity.

Anne Milton: The Government will be publishing a White Paper on Public Health later this year. This will set out plans to tackle obesity and the impact on health and well-being of childhood obesity.

Phil Parker Lightning Process

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the research and development of the Phil Parker Lightning Process.

Paul Burstow: The Department has received representations, from individual members of the public and on behalf of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomylitis stakeholder groups, on research proposals associated with the Lightning Process.

Primary Care Trusts

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions his Department plans to place on primary care trusts in respect of their ability to enter into contracts during the period leading up to their abolition.

Simon Burns: There are no plans to restrict primary care trusts' statutory power to enter into contracts.

Primary Care Trusts: Manpower

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the performance in making commissioning decisions of employees of primary care trusts whose posts are sponsored by private enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold this information.

Sex: Young People

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what peer-reviewed research studies his Department has evaluated on the extent of high-risk sexual activity by  (a) young homosexual men and  (b) young heterosexual men and women;
	(2)  whether the Health Protection Agency is undertaking research into the degree of high-risk sexual activity by  (a) young homosexual men and  (b) young heterosexual men and women; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: In November 2009, the Department and the then Department for Children, Schools and Families published "Teenage Pregnancy and Sexual Health Marketing Strategy", a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. The document sets out the evidence from risk factors and a number of research studies to identify the groups most at risk of teenage pregnancy and poor sexual health.
	The Department has also commissioned the Central Office of Information to carry out a review of the existing evidence on the factors that positively or negatively affect sexual health and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outcomes in the United Kingdom. In addition, the Department made a funding contribution in 2008-09 to the 2010 National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. This is the third decade in a row that such a study has been completed across the UK and it includes 15,000 men and women aged 16-74. The work outlined will help to inform and evaluate interventions designed to improve sexual health status of all people regardless of their age or sexual orientation.
	The Health Protection Agency undertakes surveillance of and supports research on the acquisition of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the results of which contribute to the development of policies for HIV and STI prevention. In many of these projects, young people are part of a wider study population. Study data are usually presented stratified by age and sexual orientation. These data have highlighted the high burden of infection, the risk of re-infection subsequent to being diagnosed with an STI and the degree of high risk sexual behaviour among young people.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Brighton

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections affecting  (a) young homosexual men and  (b) young heterosexual men and women in the geographical area closest to the area of Brighton Pavilion constituency for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Data from genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics on sexually transmitted infections are collected by gender and not sexual orientation. Diagnostic rates per 100,000 population for men and women in the 15-24 year group within Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust (PCT) in 2009 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Gender  Rate of acute STIs( 1)  per 100,000 population 
			 Males 4,043.9 
			 Females 4,972.3 
			 Total 4,535.7 
			 (1)Acute STIs: Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital herpes (first episode), genital warts (first episode), non-specific genital infection, chancroid, lymphogranuloma vererum, donavanosis, molluscum, trichomoniasis, scabies and pubic lice.  Notes: 1. Numbers of diagnoses used to compile the rates are not adjusted for missing clinic data.  2. 2008 population estimates have been used to calculate 2009 STI rates  3. Some data reported have unknown PCT of patient residence and are not included.  4. Acute STI data presented include diagnoses made in GUM clinics and in community-based settings testing for chlamydia.   Source:  Health Protection Agency, genito-urinary medicine clinic activity dataset returns, National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) returns, and non-NCSP and non-GUM returns from laboratories. 
		
	
	In 2008, the diagnosed HIV prevalence among all individuals aged 15-24 years resident in Brighton and Hove PCT was 0.04%. It is not possible to estimate the diagnosed HIV prevalence among young people in Brighton by sexual orientation, since the number of young men who are homosexual in this PCT is not known.
	In 2009, there were 1,381 individuals with diagnosed HIV infection resident in Brighton and Hove City PCT of whom 84% (1,159/1,381) acquired their infection through sex between men. Of all individuals with diagnosed HIV infection in Brighton and Hove City PCT in 2009, 2.5% (34/1,381) were aged 15-24 years. The diagnosed prevalence for 2009 will be released later in 2010.

Social Services: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to maintain funding for social care at current levels in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: Announced levels of grant funding from the Department to local authorities for the provision of social care have been maintained for 2010-11. Details of funding for 2011-12 will be announced as part of the spending review.

Social Services: Learning Disability

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps  (a) his Department has taken and  (b) he plans to take to implement the recommendations of the March 2010 report, "Raising Our Sights: Services for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities", commissioned by his Department.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials are currently looking very carefully at the detailed recommendations set out in this report and how these support our objectives to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities who have complex needs and their families. The elements of good service and good practice examples included in this report sit very clearly within the programme of work which Government are leading to support independent living for people with learning disabilities and to support local service planning and commissioning to meet identified needs in their locality.

Trade Union Mutuality

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the potential contribution to healthcare provision of trade union mutuality; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: We have not received representations on trade union mutuality.
	However, the Government have made a commitment to supporting the creation and expansion of mutualism and the greater involvement of mutuals, co-operatives, charities and social enterprises in the delivery of public services.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what language UK forces are training the Afghan  (a) army and  (b) police.

Nick Harvey: UK forces train both the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police using the most appropriate language, usually either Dari or Pashto, with the aid of an interpreter.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made an assessment of the merits of the use of electronic language translation devices by British soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

Nick Harvey: An informal assessment has been conducted on the possible use of electronic language translation devices by British forces serving in Afghanistan. The assessment found that the technology is not currently developed enough to be beneficial to British forces serving in Afghanistan.

Aircraft Carriers

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions Invincible-class aircraft carriers have been deployed in military service in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many days at sea Invincible-class aircraft carriers have undertaken in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: The number of days the Invincible class aircraft carriers have undertaken at sea in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of  days at sea 
			   HMS Illustrious  HMS Ark Royal 
			 2006 123.75 33.00 
			 2007 154 120.5 
			 2008 160.75 147.75 
			 2009 130.25 57.25 
			 Up to 31 August 2010 3 117.5 
		
	
	HMS Ark Royal had maintenance periods in 2006 and 2009, as does HMS Illustrious in 2010.
	During this period HMS Invincible has been maintained at a state of very low readiness at Portsmouth Naval Base.
	During nearly all their time spent at sea, the carriers are operationally deployed in contributing to a wide range of military tasks. This includes periods when they are exercising and training, but excludes the short time spent completing basic sea safety training and carrying out post refit trials. The tasks may include the integrity of UK waters, the defence and security of overseas territories, intelligence collection, defence diplomacy and support to British interests. They contribute to the standing commitments of the NATO reaction forces and provide platforms for wider maritime security operations.

Aircraft Carriers

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department last contacted BAE Systems in relation to his Department's aircraft carrier programmes.

Peter Luff: As members of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA), the MOD and BAE Systems are in daily contact regarding all aspects of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme.

Aircraft Carriers

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the end of service date is for each Invincible-class aircraft carrier.

Peter Luff: Two Invincible Class aircraft carriers currently remain in service with the Royal Navy, HM Ships Ark Royal and Illustrious. HMS Ark Royal is currently planned to be taken out of service in the third quarter of 2014, while HMS Illustrious will reach her out of service date in the second quarter of 2016.
	The future of all major equipment projects is being considered as part of the Defence input to the Strategic Defence and Security Review, to ensure that the programme is coherent with future defence needs.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department incurred on the provision of medical services for armed forces personnel in  (a) the Falklands Islands,  (b) Gibraltar,  (c) Cyprus and  (d) Germany in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: Costs for the financial year 2009-10 in each of the four locations are as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Falkland Islands 2.195 
			 Gibraltar 6.809 
			 Cyprus 21.977 
			 Germany 87.063 
		
	
	The costs include service and civilian manpower, infrastructure, consumables and associated costs related to the provision of medical and dental services.

Armed Forces: Injuries

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been blinded while on active duty since 2000.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence publishes the numbers of personnel categorised as very seriously injured and seriously injured as a result of Operations Telic and Herrick on its website at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInIraqBritishCasualties.htm
	(Telic)
	and
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInAfghanistan BritishCasualties.htm
	(Herrick).
	The figures are updated fortnightly. In addition, we are committed to publishing on a quarterly basis the numbers of service personnel who have suffered limb amputations as a result of injuries sustained while on operational deployment, and Defence Analytical Services Agency published figures up to 30 June 2010 in July 2010. However, in order both to protect the identities of small numbers of patients, including those who have been blinded, and to maintain operational security for the effectiveness of our protective countermeasures, we do not routinely publish very serious injury and serious injury sub-classified by other types of physical injury.

Armed Forces: Medals

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review his Department's decision that the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal may be received but not worn in the UK.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to respond.
	The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (the HD Committee), which advises Her Majesty the Queen on matters of honours policy, made the decision that the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal could be received but not worn in December 2005.
	The HD Committee, of which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is a member, has reviewed this decision on two separate occasions and in both cases upheld the original decision.
	The FCO is not aware of any plans by the HD Committee to review this decision again.

Armed Forces: Pensions

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to bring forward proposals to remove the inequality in pension provision for ex-servicemen and women who left the armed forces before 1975.

Andrew Robathan: No. It has been the policy of successive Governments not to change the provision of a pension scheme retrospectively. Any change cannot be isolated to a single scheme and would affect all of the other public sector pension schemes. It would therefore carry significant cost and simply be unaffordable.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been placed with Chinese manufacturers for military garments.

Peter Luff: No contracts have been placed with Chinese manufacturers for military garments by the Ministry of Defence. It is, of course, open to MOD suppliers to place subcontracts with suitable companies, which may result in items of military clothing, in whole or in part, being manufactured overseas.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the specifications for military garment contracts have changed in the last two years.

Peter Luff: There are approximately 6,000 specifications in the Ministry of Defence's defence clothing database. Clothing specifications are constantly being reviewed and updated to improve the performance and reliability of military clothing to ensure it is right for the armed forces.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who has responsibility for deciding on the criteria for military clothing standards.

Peter Luff: The defence clothing team is responsible for overseeing the development and acquisition of operational and non-operational military clothing, less flying clothing and associated equipment. The team seek constant feedback on operational clothing and equipment from the front line, which is used to improve the performance specifications with amendments being approved by representatives from the service user community. For non-operational clothing, the responsibility for specifying clothing standards is usually through uniform committees, which include service user representatives.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the appropriateness of British Standard 7209 for assessing the breathability of waterproof clothing for military personnel.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence regularly uses industry standards for measuring performance as part of its own specifications, including British Standard 7209. This is a consistent, repeatable and reproducible method of testing which is well understood by industry. This policy delivers clothing to the standard required by military personnel while at the same time ensuring best value for money for the Department.

Christopher Myers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefings Christopher Myers attended during his participation in the visit to Afghanistan in January 2010.

Liam Fox: As part of the group accompanying the then Shadow Foreign Secretary and Shadow Chancellor on a fact-finding visit to Afghanistan in January 2010, Mr Myers attended some briefings with NATO and UK military and civilian staff, Afghan officials and a non-governmental organisation.

Christopher Myers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what level of security clearance was given to Christopher Myers for the purpose of his participation in a visit to Afghanistan in January 2010;
	(2)  who authorised the security clearance of Christopher Myers to participate in a visit to Afghanistan in January 2010.

Liam Fox: In line with usual practice for MPs and their assistants when visiting Afghanistan, no specific security clearance was provided by the Ministry of Defence for the visit.

Defence Storage and Distribution Agency: Manpower

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the change in the number of jobs at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency which will result from its proposed restructuring.

Peter Luff: Agency status was removed from the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency in July this year, when it became part of the joint support chain within the Defence Equipment and Support organisation. We are currently reviewing provision of defence storage and distribution activities as part of the Future Defence Storage and Distribution Programme; and this work will of course be influenced by the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which will be announced in the autumn, once the Government's spending review concludes.

Defence: Procurement

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he plans to take of the likely effects of defence spending reductions on  (a) BAE Systems and  (b) other companies in the defence industry in determining the outcomes of (i) the strategic defence and security review and (ii) his Department's contribution to the Government's spending review.

Peter Luff: The priority for the Strategic Defence and Security Review is to ensure that the UK has at its disposal what it needs for its wider national security. In doing so, we are taking the industrial implications, among other key factors, into account. The Government recognise that the UK defence industry is a vital strategic asset, which is why I recently announced the publication of a Green Paper on defence industry and technology policy by the end of the year to follow on from the conclusion of the SDSR later this autumn. After a period of consultation, this will be followed by a White Paper in the spring, which will formally set out our approach to industry and technology through to the next SDSR.

Defence: Procurement

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an estimate of the effects on the number of people employed in the defence manufacturing sector and the sector's supply chain likely to result from reductions in defence spending in  (a) Hyndburn,  (b) Burnley,  (c) Blackburn,  (d) Pendle,  (e) Preston,  (f) Chorley,  (g) Fylde,  (h) East Lancashire and  (i) Lancashire and the North West.

Peter Luff: We recognise the major contribution made to UK defence by industry throughout the north-west of England. The Department is examining a range of factors, including industrial issues, as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which will conclude in the autumn in co-ordination with the Government's spending review. It would, therefore, be premature to speculate about the impact of future levels of defence expenditure.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Andrew Robathan: Information regarding the average cost to pay an invoice by the Financial Management Shared Service Centre and the number of invoices settled electronically and by cheque could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information is available for the proportion by value between electronic and cheque. For the first five months of financial year 2010-11 this was 99.14% and 0.86% respectively.

Departmental Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on  (a) permanent and  (b) temporary accommodation for civil servants in 2009-10.

Andrew Robathan: In financial year 2009-10, the Ministry of Defence spent £4.1 million on permanent accommodation and £1.3 million on temporary accommodation for its UK civilian work force.
	Information from overseas areas could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent accommodation for civil servants in 2009.

Andrew Robathan: For calendar year 2009, the Ministry of Defence spent £1.3 million on temporary accommodation and £4.3 million on permanent accommodation for its UK civilian workforce.
	Information from overseas areas could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence has an enabling contract with a supplier to provide newspapers and magazines at a discounted rate to units within the London area which came into force on 1 March 2002. MOD units outside London may purchase newspapers under local arrangements. Information on expenditure under these local arrangements is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	An enabling contract has also been in place since 1 June 1999 with a periodical supplier, which MOD business units can use to place orders directly with the supplier at discounted prices. There is no central record of units choosing not to use this enabling contract; information on expenditure under any other arrangements is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Prior to these enabling contracts being in place, MOD units made their own local arrangements for the supply of newspapers, magazines and periodicals. Information on such expenditure is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Expenditure under the above enabling contracts, by financial year, is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1999-2000 (1)348,617.80 
			 2000-01 (1)837,710.72 
			 2001-02 (1)866,656.95 
			 2002-03 849,874.83 
			 2003-04 854,651.98 
			 2004-05 939,671.22 
			 2005-06 907,100.10 
			 2006-07 962,417.20 
			 2007-08 871,315.45 
			 2008-09 783,094.48 
			 2009-10 931,595.87 
			 (1 )Figures include expenditure on periodicals only. No enabling contract was in place at this time for the supply of newspapers.

Ex-servicemen: Suicide

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the vulnerability to suicide of servicemen and women leaving the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Department of Health on issues relating to support to former service personnel with mental health needs, in particular through the Partnership Board which brings together the MOD and the four UK Health Departments. We are committed to creating effective, through-life, mental health services for our service personnel and veterans and will continue to look at ways in which the NHS, the MOD and the devolved administrations can work together with organisations such as Combat Stress to ensure that they receive the support they need.

Gulf States

Rory Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 581-82, to the hon. Members for Finchley and Golders Green (Mike Freer) and for Battersea (Mrs Ellison).

Pilots: Training

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what pilot training programmes pilots from the armed forces have attended in  (a) the US and  (b) France since 2003.

Nick Harvey: Since 2003, UK pilots have not attended pilot training programmes in France. UK pilots have attended training courses in the US, where suitable training facilities exist, for the following aircraft types:
	MQ-1 Predator
	MQ-9 Reaper
	T45C Goshawk
	F18 Hornet
	AV8B Harrier
	C17 Globemaster
	King Air 350ER
	In addition, a small number of UK pilots are regularly posted on exchange tours with US and French forces and will normally spend part of their tour training and operating aircraft alongside their counterparts.

Pilots: Training

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether pilots in the armed forces have received training from the US military on fast jet deployment from aircraft carriers.

Nick Harvey: Yes. A number of Royal Navy and RAF qualified fast jet pilots are regularly posted on exchange tours with US forces to enhance inter-service co-operation and gain additional experience. They may spend part of their tours training with and operating on US aircraft carriers alongside their US counterparts. Additionally, a small number of Royal Navy trainee pilots conduct operational fast jet training in the US on F/A18 Hornet aircraft and the AV-8B Harrier aircraft and are trained to operate from aircraft carriers.

Royal Gurkha Rifles: Finance

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the budget for the Royal Gurkha Rifles was from  (a) his Department's budget and  (b) other sources in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: The Ministry of Defence accounting systems are not set up to allow budgeting by unit. As such, a detailed breakdown of costs is not available.
	A battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles is based in Brunei under the Garrison Agreement Exchange of Notes between the UK MOD and the Sultan of Brunei. When the battalion is physically in Brunei, the Sultan of Brunei pays for all salary and almost all basing costs.
	In addition some costs of the Royal Gurkha Rifles may be funded from the Treasury reserve if additional costs are incurred when preparing for or when on operations. This figure will vary between years dependent on the extent to which the Royal Gurkha Rifles Battalions are tasked for operations.

Warships

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 737-8W, on warships: deployment, what the  (a) type and  (b) mission is of each Royal Navy ship deployed on operations at sea.

Liam Fox: The type and mission of those ships at sea on 9 September 2010 are as follows:
	
		
			   Ship  Mission/type 
			 Op Telic  Maintenance of integrity and security of Iraqi Territorial Seas. 
			  HMS Somerset Type 23 Frigate 
			  HMS Chiddingfold Mine Counter Measures Vessel 
			  HMS Grimsby Mine Counter Measures Vessel 
			  HMS Pembroke Mine Counter Measures Vessel 
			  HMS Middleton Mine Counter Measures Vessel 
			  RFA Cardigan Bay Auxilliary Landing Ship Dock 
			  RFA Lyme Bay Auxilliary Landing Ship Dock 
			
			 Arabian Gulf Tanker  Replenishment of coalition units in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and North Indian Ocean. 
			  RFA Bayleaf Support Tanker 
			
			 Op Calash  Counter Piracy and counter smuggling operations within the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and North Indian Ocean. 
			  HMS Northumberland Type 23 Frigate 
			  RFA Diligence Forward Repair Ship 
			  RFA Fort Victoria Fleet Replenishment Ship 
			
			 Op Ocean Shield  NATO Counter Piracy and counter smuggling operations within the Arabian sea, Gulf of Aden, and North Indian Ocean. 
			  HMS Montrose Type 23 Frigate 
			
			 Gibraltar Patrol  Security of Gibraltar Territorial Seas. 
			  HMS Sabre P2000-Patrol Boat 
			  HMS Scimitar P2000-Patrol Boat 
			
			 Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Maritime Group 1  A continuous maritime capability for mine-countermeasures integration within NATO Response Force (NRF) operations, non NRF operations and other activities in peacetime and periods of crisis and conflict. 
			  HMS Penzance Mine Counter Measures Vessel 
			
			 Atlantic Patrol Tasking (North)  UK's maritime contribution to the Caribbean and North Atlantic area. Protection of UK interests, humanitarian role in response to the natural disasters, especially hurricanes, which are prevalent in this region. Additionally working alongside the US Coastguard and the Royal Netherlands Navy: a significant contribution to the UK's counter drugs operations. 
			  HMS Manchester Type 42 Destroyer 
			  RFA Wave Ruler Large Fleet Tanker 
			
			 Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South)  The standing naval commitment to the South Atlantic and West African regions. Provide a maritime presence to protect the British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and UK's interests in the region. 
			  HMS Gloucester (desig) Type 42 Destroyer 
			  HMS Portland Type 23 Frigate 
			  RFA Blackrover Small Fleet Tanker 
			
			 Falkland Island Patrol Ship  Permanently stationed in the region, responsible for maintaining British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. 
			  HMS Clyde Offshore Patrol Vessel Helicopter 
			
			 Amphibious Exercises and Regional Engagement  Exercises with the principal aim of enhancing our Operational Capability by training with coalition partners in Amphibious Assault. 
			  HMS Ocean Amphibious Ship 
			
			 Fishery Protection  Patrolling UK's extended Fisheries Zone. 
			  HMS Tyne Offshore Patrol Vessel 
			  HMS Severn Offshore Patrol Vessel 
			  HMS Mersey Offshore Patrol Vessel 
			
			 Survey Operations  Survey operations throughout the world using the latest techniques to provide information for Admiralty charts and nautical publications and in particular updating the charts covering the waters around the United Kingdom. 
			  HMS Enterprise Coastal Survey Vessel 
			  HMS Gleaner Coastal Survey Vessel 
			  HMS Echo Coastal Survey Vessel 
			
			 UK Contingency Operations  Maritime Security Royal Navy units at readiness to react to any possible threat to the integrity of UK Territorial Seas and security of the UK. 
			  HMS Monmouth Type 23 Frigate 
			  HMS Sutherland Type 23 Frigate 
			  HMS Ramsey Mine Countermeasures Vessel 
			  HMS Blythe Mine Countermeasures Vessel 
			  RFA Fort George Fleet Replenishment ship

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Local Government

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities encourage residents to participate in the implementation of local carbon reduction plans.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 649W.

Carbon Emissions: Local Government

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to provide financial and technical assistance for local authorities to meet local carbon reduction targets.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 649W.

Carbon Emissions: Public Sector

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure other Government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies are reducing their carbon emissions and using energy more efficiently.

Gregory Barker: On 14 May my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set a challenging target of reducing central Government's emissions by 10% in 12 months and asked DECC and the Efficiency and Reform Group to lead this work. Since then, all Departments have submitted their plans for action, detailing how they will contribute towards the target. All ministerial headquarters buildings are now also placing their real time energy use data on line.
	In order to learn from private sector experience, I have established a cross-Whitehall 10% Working Group, which will hold Departments to account for their progress, and has created a network for sharing good practice and experiences between Departments and the private sector.
	In addition, all Government Departments, and many other public sector bodies, are currently registering for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, which will help to ensure that energy efficiency is prioritised in the public sector.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Gregory Barker: Invoice processing is provided to the Department by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In August 2010 the average cost of processing an invoice including staff costs and overheads was £4.29. All payments made in August were made electronically.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's Chief Scientific Officer since 6 May 2010.

Gregory Barker: Ministers regularly meet DECC's Chief Scientific Adviser in the course of their official duties.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Gregory Barker: Central records indicate, that the monetary value of contracts awarded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to management consultancy and IT companies since 7 May 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  (a) Management consultancy  
			 Total 76,720 
			 Capita Symonds Ltd. 15,495 
			 COI Communications 7,360 
			 International Organisation Development Ltd. 2,221 
			 Methods Consulting Ltd. 26,550 
			 Pera Innovation Ltd. 12,058 
			 Serco Ltd. 13,034 
			   
			  (b) IT company  
			 Total 162,000 
			 Oracle 162,000

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not own any land or buildings. The buildings occupied by the Department are owned by other departments.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in the Department in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: Information for earlier years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Since July 2010, updated processes have been developed for monitoring budget and accounting lines in an effort to deliver transparency and a centralised record of such activity.
	For July 2010, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Dudley North (Ian Austin) to question No. 15150.
	For August and September 2010, total spend was £3,748.24 across three events with key stakeholders.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

Gregory Barker: The total spend of ministerial hospitality in July 2010 was £2,984.32 on five events with key stakeholders.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2008.

Gregory Barker: Since the Department's formation in October 2008, Ministers and the Communications Directorate have spent the following amounts on newspapers and periodicals:
	2008-09 (from October 2008): £5,846;
	2009-10: £19,020;
	2010-11 (as of 31 August): £6,436.
	The Department does not keep central records of all publications that it receives and this information can be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will take steps to assess the impacts on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Gregory Barker: DECC will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Redundancy Pay

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what severance payments have been paid to  (a) Ministers and  (b) special advisers in his Department who left office after the last general election.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 16 September 2010
	Details of the total severance payments paid to DECC Ministers who left office after the last general election were given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) on 5 July 2010,  Official Report , column 55W. However, DECC was not included in that report.
	Severance payments for paid Government Ministers and other office holders are governed by legislation, specifically section 5 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. Those individuals who leave office under the age of 65 and who do not take up another relevant office within three weeks (six weeks for Opposition office holders at the time of the election) are entitled to receive one-quarter of their annual claimed salary as a severance payment. These are separate from resettlement grants available to members of Parliament upon leaving the House of Commons.
	Total severance payments to eligible former Ministers of the Department of Energy and Climate Change were £40,350.
	The Government publish annually the total cost of special advisers in the form of a written ministerial statement by the Prime Minister. The total cost of severance paid out to special advisers who left office after the last general election will be published in due course.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Gregory Barker: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has recruited five staff on secondment since 7 May 2010. The details are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Organisation  Number of staff 
			 Climate Change Capital 1 
			 National Grid 1 
			 Expedition Engineering 1 
			 KPMG 1 
			 Deloitte 1 
			 Total 5

Fuel Poverty

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy to target energy efficiency programmes at prepayment meter users in, or at risk of, fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Government are committed to helping those households who are in fuel poverty. We recognise the need to help more of the most vulnerable to keep their homes warm at an affordable cost.
	Government have a range of policies focused on improving the energy efficiency of households, including those in fuel poverty. We recently extended the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) to 2012 and increased significantly the amount of work to be carried out in the most vulnerable households.
	Following the introduction of new rules to prevent unfair price differentials, Ofgem have recently reported that the differentials between customers paying by pre-payment meter (PPM) and standard credit have been completely eliminated.

Fuel Poverty

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will use his power under the Energy Act 2010 to oblige suppliers to provide social price support to  (a) all groups that qualify for cold weather payments and  (b) households in receipt of means-tested benefits with children under 16 years.

Gregory Barker: Decisions on whether or not to use the powers in the Energy Act 2010 to bring forward mandated social price support will be subject to the Spending Review.

Fuel Poverty

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to ensure the take up of the Green Deal in the private rented sector.

Gregory Barker: The Green Deal should unlock billions of pounds of new investment in household energy efficiency. It has the potential to be particularly successful in the private rented sector because it will remove the up-front costs of making homes more energy efficient for tenants, which are currently a significant deterrent to landlords upgrading rented-out property.
	To maximise efficiency improvements across all tenures, the Department is looking at additional incentives and triggers that will encourage uptake of the Green Deal.

Fuel Poverty

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of  (a) private sector and  (b) social sector dwellings have residents in fuel poverty in (a) England and (b) the geographical area most close to the area of Brighton Pavilion constituency for which information is available.

Gregory Barker: In 2007 there were 2.8 million fuel poor households in England, representing around 13% of all households. 2.3 million of these were private sector households (13% of all private households) and 0.5 million were in the social sector (13% of all social households).
	In 2006 the most recent year for which sub-regional figures are available, there were around 5,100 (12%) fuel poor households in the Brighton Pavilion constituency. A split by tenure is not available for this figure.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been paid to miners in Chesterfield constituency under the Government's handling agreements for vibration white finger, bronchitis and emphysema since their inception.

Charles Hendry: The amount the Department has paid to claimants in Chesterfield constituency for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and vibration white finger under the Coal Health Compensation Schemes is shown in the following table as at 31 August 2010.
	
		
			   Total claims received  Total claims settled  Total claims outstanding  Total damages paid (£) 
			 COPD 4,269 4,268 1 12,421,068.75 
			 VWF 1,882 1,882 0 21,120,669.35 
			 Total 6,151 6,150 1 33,541,738.10

Magnox Electric

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with Magnox North Ltd and Magnox South Ltd on the formation of a single site licence company; and by what date he expects legal integration of the two to have been achieved.

Charles Hendry: This is an operational matter for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which owns the Magnox sites. The NDA has been liaising with Magnox North-Ltd and Magnox South Ltd on their reintegration into a single-site licence company (SLC). Reintegration of the two SLCs is a key part of the overall plan of the parent body organisation, EnergySolutions, which owns the SLCs, to reduce the-costs of managing the sites on behalf of the NDA and to ensure that more money is spent on front-line activities. The programme aims for relicensing into a single SLC to be complete by the end of 2010.

Magnox Electric

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost to the public purse was of dividing Magnox Electric into Magnox North Ltd and Magnox South Ltd.

Charles Hendry: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority estimates that the total costs of separating Magnox Electric into two site licence companies (SLCs) were approximately £6.4 million. Reintegration of the two SLCs is a key part of the overall strategy of the parent body organisation, EnergySolutions, which owns the SLCs, to reduce the costs of managing the sites on behalf of the NDA. It is estimated that reintegration will deliver net savings of around £10 million per year.

National Grid: Fees and Charges

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average national grid transmission charge is in each local authority area.

Charles Hendry: Transmission charging zones do not correspond with local authority boundaries and therefore it is not possible to give an average figure for each local authority area. Details of the different charges for each generation and demand charging zone can be found on national grid's website at:
	http://www.nationalgrid.com/NR/rdonlyres/B757A2EA-CEEA-4A37-B9CA-91A0F0C68C5F/40465/UoSCI6R0Final.pdf

National Grid: Fees and Charges

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been raised in national grid transmission charges from generators in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland and  (c) Wales in each of the last five years.

Charles Hendry: National Grid does not have separate figures for England and Wales. Transmission Network Use of System charges paid by generators in England/Wales and Scotland are:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   England/Wales  Scotland 
			 2005-06 159.0 126.8 
			 2006-07 188.5 128.8 
			 2007-08 200.9 141.0 
			 2008-09 231.4 147.9 
			 2009-10 232.1 156.9 
			  Source: National Grid

Natural Gas: Storage

Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to take steps to provide greater gas storage capacity for the UK.

Charles Hendry: As set out in the Annual Energy Statement, we need more gas storage capacity, as well as more gas import capacity and greater assurance that our market will deliver gas when it is needed. The Department has already taken steps to encourage greater gas storage capacity for the UK.
	On 9 September, I gave consent to the Saltfleetby gas storage project. This has the capacity to store some 700 million cubic meters of gas and to increase the UK's storage capacity by over 15%.
	Further, as set down in the recent written ministerial statement about planning reform by the Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), the Government are reforming the planning system. Planning applications for major infrastructure projects will be decided by Ministers within a clear policy framework provided in national policy statements, on the basis of recommendations by the new major infrastructure planning unit. This will make major infrastructure decisions, such as for new gas storage facilities, faster and more transparent.
	Gas storage facilities will also be encouraged through new measures to be introduced in the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration he has given to the merits of entitling the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to deal directly with site licence companies rather than through a parent body organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority deals with both its site licence companies (SLC) and with their parent body organisations (PBO). Each of the sites under NDA ownership is operated for the NDA under a management and operations contract by a site licensee (SLC), which is responsible for the delivery of site programmes until all decommissioning and clean-up work has been completed. Each site licensee has a PBO, which owns the shares in that SLC and manages its activities for the period in which it has a parent body agreement with the NDA. These PBO contracts are competed. The relationship between the NDA and the SLC is long term and continues irrespective of who owns the SLC.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority since its formation.

Charles Hendry: The Department closely monitors the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) performance through regular reports and meetings, including between DECC Ministers and the NDA's chairman and chief executive officer. The NDA is required by the Energy Act 2004 to have a ministerial approved strategy and annual business plans. These, together with reports on its progress to date are available on the NDA's website.
	Before the NDA was set up in 2005 there was little investment in the legacy infrastructure or progress with decommissioning. Starting from a zero base, in its first five years the NDA has made significant progress in tackling the unprecedented challenge that it faces. It has:
	developed a detailed understanding of the legacy, introduced industry-wide procedures across its sites to plan on a consistent basis and completed the re-structuring of its estate to facilitate its competition programme;
	successfully completed competitions for the management of the low level waste facility near Drigg; and for Sellafield-one of the largest and most complex procurements in the world. These have brought international capability to the UK and the new management teams are bringing significant improvements in operational efficiency, project management and cost control;
	made significant headway in realising value from its commercial operations;
	progressively prioritised funds towards highest hazards; delivered value for money by driving efficiency and performance across its estate and invested in skills to build the future capability of the UK's nuclear work force; and
	made steady progress on decommissioning in line with its published business plans.

Nuclear Power Stations: Safety

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what hazard reduction work he commissioned Magnox Electric to undertake in each year between its establishment and its separation into two companies in 2008.

Charles Hendry: This is an operational matter for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which took over responsibility for the Magnox sites on 1 April 2005. These sites are operated for the NDA under a management and operations contract with the site licence company, Magnox Electric. The NDA agrees work plans annually with Magnox Electric, including work on hazard reduction. Details of the work commissioned from each Magnox site are set out in the NDA's Annual Plans. Performance against these plans is set out in the NDA's Annual Report and Accounts. These documents are published and are available on the NDA's website.

Renewable Energy: Local Government

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much national grid transmission charges for selling renewable electricity to the grid would be for  (a) Westminster City Council,  (b) Western Isles Council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) and  (c) Angus Council.

Charles Hendry: Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges are paid by renewable generators-over 100 MW-only most renewable generators are connected to the distribution system and are not subject to TNUoS charges.
	Westminster city council falls in the central London generation charging zone where the generation TNUoS charge is -£6.41/kW.
	Tariffs for the Western Isles council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) have not yet been set. The nearest equivalent generation charging zone is Western Highland and Skye where the generation TNUoS charge is £22.79/kW.
	Angus council falls in the Central Highlands charging zone where the generation TNUoS charge is £17.63/kW.
	Ofgem announced a fundamental review of the transmission charging regime on 22 September with the launch of Project TransmiT.

Sustainable Development

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent meetings he has had with representatives of Transition Town projects to discuss environmentally sustainable communities.

Gregory Barker: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with representatives of Transition Town projects. Ministers have, however, been meeting a number of community groups as they are important for the Green Deal. I attended the Be Birmingham Summit in July and will continue meeting community groups over the coming months.

Wind Power: Electricity Generation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects on potential windfarm developers of the decision by the National Grid to retain the current charging regime for electricity generators; and what recent discussions he has held with Ofgem on the matter.

Charles Hendry: National Grid have made no recent decisions on the transmission network use of system (TNUoS) charging regime for generators, but are currently considering the responses to a consultation on a review of intermittent generation charging. DECC's-recent Annual Energy Statement also announced that Ofgem will shortly be conducting their own independent review of the transmission charging regime.

Wind Power: Offshore Industry

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to review guidance on the provision of financial community benefits compensation from large-scale off-shore wind farms over 50MWh; and whether he plans to bring forward proposals to enable local planning authorities to secure and enforce the provision of such financial community benefits compensation.

Charles Hendry: We recognise the need to ensure that all major infrastructure renewable energy developments take place within the formal planning procedure, which allows all relevant stakeholders, including local authorities and members of the public, to put forward their views on the likely impact of any proposal on the environment and the local community. Any development of renewable energy must also be seen within the wider context of reducing carbon emissions and improving security of the energy supply.
	Offshore wind farm developers can and do finance community benefits for local communities and that is a commercial matter for them. Guidance was produced several years ago by the Renewables Advisory Board on this matter. There are no plans to enable local authorities to secure and enforce the provision of such financial community benefits compensation.
	The UK has the best offshore wind resource in Europe and we are committed to ensuring that the UK benefits from industry and job prospects from this opportunity.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The monetary value of all management consultancy contracts awarded since 7 May 2010 is £134,503.
	In the period 7 May 2009 to 20 September 2009 the total value of all management consultancy contracts was £6,029,698.
	 (b) No new IT contracts have been awarded since 7 May 2010.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions does not have any vacant buildings or any vacant parcels of land.

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each year.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has paid the following amounts to settle transport-related fines incurred by DWP staff since 2005:
	
		
			   Number  Amount (£) 
			 2004-05(1) 106 2,757.50 
			 2005-06(1) 464 15,740 
			 2006-07 343 12,585.25 
			 2007-08 98 6,298.13 
			 2008-09 217 10,713.00 
			 2009-10 403 23,951.00 
			 (1) No figures are available prior to 1 May 2006 for hire vehicles. 
		
	
	The figures in the table represent fines incurred by DWP staff driving DWP official fleet vehicles and hire vehicles on departmental business. These figures should be taken in the context of a Department that employs 106,000 staff.
	The Department's policy in relation to payment of fines is in the process of being reviewed.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2001.

Chris Grayling: Information on the amount spent in each financial year from 2001 onwards is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  Newspaper/magazine spend  Periodical spend 
			 2001-02 24,757.96 228,207.11 
			 2002-03 (1)- 314,328.85 
			 2003-04 (1)- 266,764.89 
			 2004-05 54,298.68 164,068.43 
			 2005-06 66,265.94 122,040.63 
			 2006-07 73,794.25 134,642.74 
			 2007-08 56,364.35 138,063.72 
			 2008-09 33,215.84 97,927.92 
			 2009-10 26,928.58 96,011.27 
			 (1) Included in periodical spend.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will take steps to assess the impacts on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Chris Grayling: Work is under way to carry out equality impact assessments as part of the development of Spending Review options, and these will be made public in due course.

Employment Schemes: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assistance his Department is providing to those resident in Coventry who have been made redundant on the last 12 months;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to assist those resident in Coventry and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance to secure employment;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to assist those resident in Coventry who have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months to secure employment.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what assistance his Department is providing to those resident in Coventry who have been made redundant in the last 12 months. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Rapid Response Service (RRS) is the starting point for all support for residents in Coventry, who have been made redundant. Jobcentre Plus works with partners to deliver the RRS while employees are under notice of redundancy with the aim of helping as many as possible back into work quickly. The service is offered automatically to all employers declaring at least 20 redundancies (i.e. all those covered by the statutory requirement to provide advance notice to the Insolvency Service). The service is also offered when Jobcentre Plus is aware of employers declaring less than 20 redundancies.
	Individual employees are offered a comprehensive package of practical support in coping with redundancy, claiming benefits, applying for jobs and updating their skills or gaining new skills based on the needs of the local labour market.
	Jobcentre Plus works closely with the Better West Midlands Project, contracted to the Skills Funding Agency to deliver RRS support for individual employees under notice of redundancy. Other partners are: Coventry City Council, Business Link, National Apprenticeship Service, Consumer Financial Education Body and Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership offering the Next Step careers advice service to individuals. All customers are able to continue accessing these partners' services after redundancy if they are unable to move into a new job immediately.
	Individual customers who have been made redundant are also able to take advantage of the Response to Redundancy Programme, delivered by JHP Training on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency. JHP Training delivers a range of training opportunities to any unemployed people aged over 18 who are seeking work during the first six months of unemployment. A package of support, typically between 2 and 8 weeks, helps people refresh their existing skills or begin the work of retraining in a different occupation to aid their progression into sustainable employment.
	The Secretary of State has also asked me to reply to your further questions asking what assistance his Department is providing to those resident in Coventry and in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, including those in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for more than 12 months, to secure employment.
	All customers can use jobpoint screens in Jobcentres or the Jobseeker Direct telephony service to search for suitable job vacancies as well as accessing them via the internet if they prefer.
	Residents of Coventry in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) receive personalised help through the Jobseeker's Regime and Flexible New Deal. Jobcentre Personal Advisers are at the forefront of supporting customers with their employment and skills needs.
	The Jobseeker's Regime and Flexible New Deal is a combination of regular reviews of a customer's job seeking activity, group information sessions, Personal Adviser interviews at key stages and work focused training. Through this, we provide customers with information and access to jobs, personalised job search advice, opportunities to develop the skills needed to help them improve job prospects and other help to overcome barriers that may be making it harder to find work. The level of support we give increases the longer a customer is out of work.
	Newly unemployed JSA customers from professional and executive occupational backgrounds who require help because they have no recent job search experience can attend information sessions delivered by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. These sessions help jobseekers to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to quickly find relevant jobs, using up to date job search tools and recruitment channels.
	Jobseekers who remain on JSA for more than 12 months enter Flexible New Deal which is a programme of tailored, individualised support for each customer delivered by a contracted external provider. Flexible New Deal providers are tasked with providing an innovative and flexible service to deliver the best method of getting jobseekers into sustainable employment. Our contracted providers in Coventry are Serco and Pertemps People Development Group.
	Jobseekers in Coventry who need additional advice about the local labour market and the skills required can access individual careers advice from Next Steps advisers who are located in Jobcentre offices as well as other locations in the city.
	The Government have set out a number of major welfare to work reforms, including a core Work Programme which we aim to introduce by summer 2011. It will be an integrated package of personalised support providing help for people who find themselves out of work. The Work Programme will be delivered by contractors drawn from the private, public and voluntary sectors.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of continuing the Young Person's Guarantee.

Chris Grayling: The spend on the young person's guarantee in 2009-10 was £86 million. The forecast spend in 2010-11 is expected to be £471 million. The forecast spend in 2011-12 is subject to spending review decisions. This is because the FJF payment model allows for 60% of the unit cost of an FJF job to be paid over the six-month period following a job start. We have made commitments to allow job starts up to the end of March 2011 so expenditure will continue to September 2011. This makes a total predicted spend of £595 million.
	There are no plans to continue the young person's guarantee beyond April 2011.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to assist those aged 18 to 24 years and who are unemployed to secure employment.

Chris Grayling: The Government are committed to tackling youth unemployment. Young unemployed people registering with Jobcentre Plus have access to a named personal adviser from the first day of their claim. The personal adviser works with them to create a personalised back-to-work plan. This support will continue throughout the jobseeker's spell of unemployment as will access to the existing range of opportunities, support and advice to help them find employment. This includes short periods of work experience, mentoring, work-focused training, and internships.
	Next year we will introduce our Work Programme. This will offer integrated employment support to young people. The programme will help them move into sustained employment rather than temporary jobs.

Employment: Young People

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to help young people from households in receipt of benefits into sustained employment; what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effects on young people's likelihood of securing sustained employment of parental receipt of benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Young people aged 16 and over who are on a low income, looking for work, disabled or caring for a child or older person can claim benefits in their own right. The Department supports all benefit recipients, including young people, to make the transition into employment.
	Young unemployed people registering with Jobcentre Plus have access to a named personal adviser from the first day of their claim. The personal adviser works with them to create a personalised back-to-work plan. This support will continue throughout the jobseeker's spell of unemployment as will access to the existing range of opportunities, support and advice to help them find employment. This includes short periods of work experience, mentoring, work-focused training, and internships. Next year we will introduce our Work Programme. This will offer integrated employment support to young people. The programme will help them move into sustained employment rather than temporary jobs.
	The Department has not commissioned any research specifically focusing on the effects of parental receipt of benefits on young people's likelihood of securing sustained employment. Nor has any internal research been undertaken on this specific topic.

Fuel Poverty: Chronically Sick

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support his Department provides for terminally ill people in fuel poverty.

Steve Webb: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) currently have the governmental lead on fuel poverty. Their main grant-funded programme is the Warm Front scheme, which can provide a package of tailored insulation and heating improvements and energy advice for private sector households across England. The scheme is aimed at vulnerable, fuel-poor households, some of whom may be terminally ill. Eligibility is determined by receipt of certain means-tested and disability benefits, including disability living allowance (DLA). The number of disabled people receiving Warm Front assistance has increased since 2005-typically, approximately 38% of all those receiving help are in receipt of either DLA or attendance allowance (AA).
	DLA and AA provide people who have severe disabilities with a contribution towards the extra costs they face because of the effects of their disabilities. People who are terminally ill automatically qualify for the highest rate care component of DLA (they do not have to serve the three-month qualifying period and the benefit is usually paid within 10 days from receipt of claim) or the higher rate of AA. Recipients of DLA or AA have the choice to spend their benefit according to their own priorities, and in a way that best suits their circumstances, including meeting the cost of household fuel.
	Terminally ill people may also receive support through employment and support allowance (ESA). While ESA for the most part uses functional descriptors to assess someone's eligibility for the benefit, there are some non-functional descriptors that would find someone eligible-terminal illness is one of these non-functional descriptors. If someone claims ESA under 'special rules', which apply to those who have a life expectancy of no more than six months, they will be fast-tracked to the ESA Support Group and receive the highest rate of benefit. This will be done on paper-based evidence alone without the claimant having to undergo a face-to-face medical assessment or serve any of the normal assessment phase of ESA.
	Additional help is available to people receiving any of the income-related benefits through the disability premiums included in these benefits. Cold weather payments are also available to help certain vulnerable people-including those receiving the main phase of income-related ESA or disability premiums in the income-related benefits-with the extra heating costs which result from very cold weather in their area.

Housing Benefit

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the number of households affected by the proposed increase in non-dependent deductions  (a) in total,  (b) in Stretford and Urmston constituency,  (c) which include one or more pensioners and  (d) which include one or more children under the age of 18 years.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.
	From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed housing benefit and council tax benefit data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics, as the information supplied is quality assured.
	At present, the management information used to estimate the number of households affected by the proposed change to non-dependant deductions has not been sufficiently quality assured to release.
	We shall publish an equality impact assessment for the June Budget change to non-dependant deductions to accompany the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament. The equality impact assessment will provide information on the total number of people affected by this measure subject to quality assurance, and will also cover the impacts on age, families, child poverty, gender, disability and race.

Housing Benefit

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals for changes to housing benefit arrangements to protect the most vulnerable people.

Steve Webb: We have provided a substantial increase in the Discretionary Housing Payments budget which will give local authorities the flexibility to give additional support to customers who are affected by our proposals for housing benefit. We have referred the proposed legislation to the Social Security Advisory Committee and will respond to its report in due course.

Incapacity Benefit

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has changed the level of funding allocated for retesting and transition of incapacity benefit claimants to employment and support allowance since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: The retesting and transition of incapacity benefit claimants to employment and support allowance introduces a new process to DWP. As a consequence, funding has been estimated having regard to departmental forecasting and resource allocation models. Such models are regularly updated to provide the most accurate data possible for the new process. The accuracy of the data will be reviewed regularly following national implementation of the new process. However, at present the funding allocation for IB (income support) reassessment has not fundamentally changed since May 2010.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Graduates

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of people who graduated from university in 2010 and who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in  (a) England,  (b) Leeds and  (c) Leeds North West.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Maternity Pay

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of payments of statutory maternity pay which included a component representing a bonus otherwise payable to the employee in each of the last three years; and if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the payment of such components in each such year.

Maria Miller: The first six weeks of statutory maternity pay is paid at 90% of a woman's weekly earnings (with no upper limit) averaged over a set period. Employers are legally required to calculate the amount using earnings actually paid in that period and the dates of that period must be worked out according to how a woman is paid. This will generally capture eight weeks' actual earnings for weekly paid women or two months' earnings for monthly paid women around the fourth to sixth months of pregnancy. For some women a bonus or commission is a regular, integral part of their pay and this may be included in the calculation.
	A breakdown of the components making up an individual's pay is not required to be reported. However, payments of statutory maternity pay are liable to audit by HMRC in the usual manner.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money lost to benefit fraud was recovered through his Department's National Benefit Fraud Hotline and its Targeting Benefit Fraud campaign in 2009-10.

Chris Grayling: The amount of money recovered as a result of fraud referrals generated by either the National Benefit Fraud Hotline or the Targeting Benefit Fraud campaign is not available.
	However, in 2009-10 the Department recovered over £290 million of debts owed to the Department.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff the National Benefit Fraud Hotline employed on the latest date for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: During the week commencing 13 September 2010 there were on average 24 customer service agents deployed daily answering National Benefit Fraud Hotline calls.
	The majority of Hotline calls are taken by staff based at a contact centre in Preston. Agents at three other sites receive NBFH calls when there are high call volumes, or when the Preston site experiences technical issues. This ensures a high level of customer service at all times.
	The Department also provides a dedicated Welsh Language NBFH service at Bangor contact centre. On average, five multi-skilled agents are deployed on all Welsh service lines provided by Bangor contact centre daily.
	In addition to this there is also an out-of-hours service which is operated by a private company, Vertex. On average, Vertex deploys two agents between 7 am and 8 am and a maximum of nine agents between 7 pm and 11pm daily. This decreases during the evening as call volumes reduce.

Social Security Benefits: Vulnerable Adults

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanism he plans to put in place to measure the effects of the implementation of his proposals for welfare reform on  (a) deafblind people and  (b) other vulnerable groups.

Maria Miller: Legislation places a duty on all public authorities to pay due regard to the need to promote disability equality. The Government are strongly committed to this principle. My Department undertakes equality impact assessments on any changes to departmental policies and practices and has a well established set of processes to ensure these have a strong evidence base. When we publish our welfare reform proposals we will also be publishing an impact assessment of these changes, which will include an equality impact assessment.

State Retirement Pensions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 599-600W, how many people who were in receipt of a full state pension before 6 April 2009 had not accrued the full number of entitlement years by means of national insurance (NI) contributions and had bought back years of entitlement by way of their former spouses' NI contributions.

Steve Webb: Latest data show that, at the end of September 2009, 1.9 million people receiving a full basic state pension did so because of derived entitlement from their late spouse.
	 Notes
	1. The figure is for people in Great Britain only.
	2. The figure includes recipients of Category B pension. The figure does not include cases where the national insurance contribution record of an individual's former spouse has been substituted for the individual's own record to improve their basic state pension.
	3. The figure is for individuals reaching state pension age on or before 30 September 2009. These individuals are not affected by changes to the calculation of entitlement to the basic state pension for people reaching state pension age from 6 April 2010.
	 Source
	DWP, Information Directorate: 5% sample administrative data

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 267W, on Afghanistan: overseas aid, which areas of expenditure to which the additional £200 million funding announced for Afghanistan is to be allocated were previously administered in whole or in part by the  (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and  (b) Ministry of Defence.

Andrew Mitchell: The additional £200 million funding announced for Afghanistan, as mentioned in my answer of 27 July 2010, will provisionally be allocated for (a) improving security and political stability; (b) economic stability, growth and jobs, and (c) helping the Afghan Government deliver vital basic services.
	These areas of expenditure were previously and continue to be administered by the Department for International Development (DFID).
	A more detailed description was included in my written statement of 21 July 2010,  Official Report, column 18-20WS.

Bangladesh: Overseas Aid

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided to  (a) the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and  (b) the Government of Bangladesh in respect of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in each of the last five years.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not provided funding to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or the Government of Bangladesh specifically in respect of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
	DFID supports Rohingya refugees through core contributions to UNHCR, which manages the official camps; UNICEF; the World Food Programme; the World Health Organisation; the United Nations Population Fund; and the European Union.
	Core funding to UNHCR was £20 million in 2005, and £19 million per year from 2006 to 2009. This funding is designed to strengthen UNHCR's capacity to meet its mandate globally, including assisting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid the UK has given to Burma in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: Details of UK aid expenditure in developing countries, including Burma, are published in Statistics on International Development (SID) which is available in the House Library or online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	UK Bilateral Gross Public Expenditure (GPEX) and imputed expenditure through multilateral organisations in Burma from 2004-05 to 2008-09 are reproduced as follows. Figures for 2009-10 will be published in the next addition of SID later this year.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Financial year  Total bilateral GPEX  UK imputed multilateral shares 
			 2004-05 6,008 3,376 
			 2005-06 6,483 3,625 
			 2006-07 7,610 3,140 
			 2007-08 8,915 7,195 
			 2008-09 57,601 5,583

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Alan Duncan: For the period 1 January 2009-31 December 2009, the average cost to the Department for International Development (DFID) of processing an invoice was £12.84.
	All invoices settled in the UK during the period were paid electronically. Due to the nature of financial systems in many of the countries in which we work, the majority of invoices settled in our overseas offices are paid by cheque. We are unable to provide a breakdown of payment methods in our overseas offices without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have any vacant properties or parcels of land in the UK.
	The requested information cannot be provided for DFID's overseas properties without incurring disproportionate cost. DFID has not hitherto held central records of our overseas estates. We are currently in the process of developing a central information management system that will capture this information. I will write to my hon. Friend with the requested information once this system is in place.

Departmental Manpower

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff his Department employs to consider  (a) departmental and  (b) national strategy; what output such staff are required to produce; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Prime Minister wrote to Cabinet colleagues on 29 May 2010 setting out that organograms for central Government Departments and agencies that include all staff positions would be published in a common format from October 2010.
	The Department for International Development will therefore shortly be publishing an organogram that includes role descriptions and numbers of staff as at 30 June 2010.
	It is difficult to state what constitutes 'departmental' and 'national' strategy, as most staff will work on formulating or co-ordinating departmental or national policies or sometimes a combination of both.

Departmental Manpower

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date he informed the Secretary of State for Scotland of proposals to reduce the number of staff his Department employs in Scotland; what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on this matter; and when he last met the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Andrew Mitchell: In line with all Government Departments, the Department for International Development (DFID) will be reviewing its staffing requirements at all of its UK and overseas locations following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review (CSR) to be published on 20 October.
	Existing resourcing plans will need to be modified and updated to reflect the CSR settlement. DFID's office in Scotland plays, and will continue to play, an integral role in delivering DFID's global objectives. The Department is currently in the process of transferring 70 posts to Scotland from its office in London.
	I speak to all Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis about a wide range of issues, but have not had any specific discussions with the Secretary of State for Scotland on staffing plans for DFID's office in Scotland.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: Centrally managed expenditure on newspapers, periodicals and trade professional magazines since 2004-05 is as follows. Information for previous years cannot be compiled without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount (£) 
			 2004-05 135,887 
			 2005-06 142,015 
			 2006-07 88,290 
			 2007-08 112,203 
			 2008-09 96,098 
			 2009-10 90,118 
			 2010-11 (to date) 20,437

Departmental Public Expenditure

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money his Department allocated to  (a) the Stabilisation Aid Fund,  (b) the Conflict Prevention Pool,  (c) the Discretionary Peacekeeping Fund,  (d) the BBC World Service, excluding the BBC World Service Trust,  (e) the BBC World Service Trust,  (f) the Special Reserve,  (g) the British Council and  (h) the Security and Intelligence Fund in each year since 2005.

Andrew Mitchell: The following table shows the Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure on the BBC World Service Trust and the British Council from 2005-06 to 2009-10. DFID funding to the British Council includes our contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), which is administered by the British Council on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). DFID has not provided any funding to the BBC World Service in any year since 2005.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 BBC World Service Trust 6.7 8.5 5.3 2.2 6.7 
			 British Council 25.3 29.4 29.5 26.2 33.2 
		
	
	From 2008 the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool and the Global Conflict Prevention Pool were merged into the Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP); and the Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF) was created. In 2009 the CPP and the SAF were merged to form the Conflict Pool. The Conflict Pool is funded from a separate HM Treasury settlement, managed jointly by DFID, FCO and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and not from Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL). DFID funding to the Pool is laid out in DFID's Resource Accounts.
	In the last two financial years, DFID has also provided an additional £1.5 million per year to the Conflict Pool from its core DEL for conflict prevention activities in Sri Lanka. Also, in financial year 2009-10, Departments contributed a total of £20 million from their DELs to support stabilisation activities in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, of which £11.5 million came from DFID. DFID did not allocate money for discretionary peacekeeping, the Single Intelligence Account or the Special Reserve in any of the given years.
	DFID resources allocated to the Conflict Pool over the period from 2005-06 to 2009-10 are therefore as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Conflict Pool 0.0 0.0 0.0 1,5 13.0 
		
	
	DFID has not allocated any money to the Special Reserve or Single Intelligence Account in any year since 2005.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Alan Duncan: Since 7 May 2010, the Department for International Development has appointed a total of four individuals on secondment. These members of staff were seconded from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs and the Government Equalities Office.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's expenditure on health and health systems in 2010-11 has been allocated to human resources for health in the poorest 20 countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) provides funding for human resources for health as part of our broader support to health system strengthening in our partner countries. DFID are not able to disaggregate expenditure on human resources from broader health system expenditure. However, in 2009 a retrospective review of health spending at country level, it was estimated that approximately 25% of DFID's health spending supported human resources for health. This includes salaries and retention initiatives, pre-service education and training, enhancing skills and productivity and management and supervision of front line health workers.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports he has received on the effects of shortages of health workers in less developed countries on rates of  (a) tuberculosis,  (b) HIV/AIDS and  (c) malaria.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not received any recent reports referring specifically to the effects of health worker shortages on rates of TB, AIDS and malaria. However, there is a clear body of evidence that the global shortage of health workers, amounting to as many as 3.5 million, affects the poorest countries most. The high rates of AIDS, TB and malaria in many less developed countries will be controlled only through a comprehensive approach to health service delivery that addresses health worker numbers, skills and deployment, essential drugs and commodities and early prevention, accurate diagnosis and quality treatment.
	DFID is currently developing plans to accelerate its support to malaria control and to reproductive, maternal and newborn health. Health workers are an important dimension in addressing these priorities, and it should be noted that AIDS, TB and malaria cause a large proportion of maternal mortality. These business plans will be released in early 2011.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to fund further research into a potential microbicide containing tenofovir; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Recent research shows that a vaginal microbicide containing 1% tenofovir reduced HIV infection by 39%. These early results are encouraging but the optimism should be tempered with caution. There is some uncertainty about the exact nature of the follow-up research required to confirm these findings and funding agencies are in discussion with researchers and regulatory agencies. Once there is greater clarity and consensus about the way forward the Department for International Development (DFID) will be able to consider whether additional funding is required. In the meantime DFID continues to fund the Microbicide Development Programme and the International Partnership for Microbicides.

International Assistance

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Review summit in New York in September 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations Millennium Development Goals summit was a success. It generated unprecedented global commitments to save 16 million women and children, reverse the spread of malaria and tackle hunger and under-nutrition.
	In his speech to the General Assembly, the Deputy Prime Minister took the opportunity to showcase overall UK leadership on international development issues. He reiterated the UK's commitment to reaching 0.7% of gross national income in aid from 2013 and challenged others to live up to their promises.

International Assistance: Maternity Services

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that the composition of the advisory committee for Millennium Development Goal 5 on maternal health at the MDG+10 Summit is balanced in respect of  (a) gender and  (b) geographical representation.

Andrew Mitchell: The UN Secretary General's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Advocates Group was established in June 2010 to galvanize support for the MDGs. The group consists of eminent personalities who have shown outstanding leadership in promoting the implementation of the goals. The UK pressed for the inclusion of women and Southern representatives. Currently there are no female advocates working exclusively on MDG5, however a number of women, including southern representatives are working on MDG3 on gender equality and across the other MDGs.

International Assistance: Maternity Services

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the MDG+10 summit outcome document upholds internationally-accepted human rights standards.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) played an active role in negotiating the outcome document, which provides an action framework for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, focusing global efforts over the next five years towards the achievement of basic human rights, such as access to health care and primary education.
	During negotiations DFID pushed for a clear focus on results and accountability, which are essential to upholding human rights standards. This was included in the document and my Department will ensure the momentum generated at the summit is carried forward. DFID will play an active role in the annual review mechanism in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and in other international fora, such as the G20.
	The outcome document can be accessed on the DFID website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2010/Outcomes-from-the-MDG-Summit/

International Assistance: Maternity Services

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the MDG+10 Summit outcome document calls for reproductive health services to be made publicly available and affordable to all, non-discriminatory, non-coercive, sensitive to age and lifestyle and adequately funded.

Andrew Mitchell: The outcome document stresses the need to focus on the Millennium Development Goals that are most off-track, such as maternal health. During negotiations, the UK consistently pushed for the document to call for the fullest possible access to reproductive health services and commodities. We are committed to improving sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to modern family planning as a way of empowering women and promoting women's choice in the developing world.
	The outcome document can be accessed on the Department for International Development (DFID) website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2010/Outcomes-from-the-MDG-Summit/

International Assistance: Maternity Services

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK delegation to the MDG+10 Summit includes  (a) members of civil society groups and  (b) hon. Members with expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK delegation to the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit was led by the Deputy Prime Minister and myself. We were supported by senior officials from my Department with expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights. Both the Deputy Prime Minister and I met with representatives of civil society groups ahead of and throughout the summit. I will also be meeting with representatives of civil society groups on 12 October to discuss the outcomes of the summit.

Overseas Aid: Drugs

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has paid to  (a) the International Harm Reduction Association and  (b) others to support harm reduction drug treatment overseas in the last five years; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of such payments.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed £2,230,252 over five years ending 30 September 2011, in support to the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA). DFID has also supported the provision of HIV services for injecting drug users through bilateral programmes in Bangladesh, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam and the central Asia region, and through support to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It would entail disproportionate costs to collect information on the amount spent on these individual harm reduction programmes as they are part of broader public health programmes.
	All programmes funded by DFID are reviewed annually against agreed performance indicators and targets to ensure progress and assess impact and effectiveness. An independent annual review of the IHRA was last conducted in December 2009 which demonstrated significant impact.

Pakistan: Floods

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: I refer my hon. Friend to my oral statement of 7 September 2010,  Official Report, column 187, setting out details of our support and funding.
	The situation in Pakistan is evolving. In most areas of the country early recovery is beginning, whilst in some areas emergency relief is still needed, particularly in Sindh province. My Department continues to closely monitor the situation to identify and deliver aid appropriately.
	I will make a more detailed statement to the House shortly.

Pakistan: Floods

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations have received aid funding from his Department to assist following the floods in Pakistan in July 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: Details of organisations funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) in response to the Pakistan floods are available on the Floods Monitor on DFID's website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pakistanfloodsmonitor2010
	To date, DFID has provided direct funding to six UN agencies: the International Organisation for Migration (IOM); the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Funding has been provided to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support their flood relief efforts. My Department has also supported five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are responding to the Pakistan floods: Concern Worldwide; InfoAsAid; the International Medical Corps; Oxfam and Save the Children, as well as two consortiums of NGOs: the Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies and the Rural Support Programmes Network. DFID provides regular core funding to the following agencies who have also responded to the Pakistan floods: the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.
	Today I have laid a written statement before the House, committing an additional £70 million to support relief efforts in Pakistan. Allocations of these additional funds will be made in due course and published on the Floods Monitor.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding he plans to allocate to each project in his Department's bilateral aid programme for Pakistan in each of the next three years.

Alan Duncan: All Department for International Development (DFID) country programmes are currently being reviewed under the Bilateral Aid Review. DFID will announce decisions on country allocations after the comprehensive spending review and the completion of the Bilateral Aid Review.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma: Crimes Against Humanity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take into account the findings of the report by the Irish Centre for Human Rights entitled "Crimes against Humanity in Western Burma: The Situation of the Rohingyas" in developing his Department's policy on Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: The Government take careful note of reports such as this one, which documents the appalling human rights abuses endured by the Rohingya ethnic group. We are working to highlight their plight, and seeking to end impunity for such abuses, through the UN Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no vacant buildings in the United Kingdom. There is one plot of 18 acres of agricultural land adjacent to our site at Hanslope Park, North Buckinghamshire, which has been declared vacant and is likely to be sold next year.
	Day-to-day management of our overseas estate is devolved to our overseas posts and it is not possible to provide accurate information on vacant properties or land parcels without incurring disproportionate cost. The FCO does not publish valuations of individual properties as this can prejudice the prices achieved on disposal.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

Alistair Burt: Nil spend for July 2010 on hospitality events for the Minister for Europe, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for North West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne) and Lord Howell.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary hosted events for visiting Foreign Ministers at a cost of £1,976 charged to Government hospitality.
	I hosted lunch at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for Arab ambassadors at a cost of £263 to the FCO budget.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Alistair Burt: Since 7 May 2010, 50 staff have joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on loan from Departments including HM Treasury, the UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and the Ministry of Defence.

Ejup Ganic

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who attended the meeting relating to Dr Ejup Ganic held at his Department on 27 February 2010; and what  (a) matters were discussed and  (b) decisions were made at that meeting.

David Lidington: No meeting was held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Saturday 27 February 2010.
	Before Dr Ganic's provisional arrest, however, the Metropolitan police held a meeting on 1 March 2010 at New Scotland Yard. Officials from the FCO and Home Office attended the meeting which was to discuss Serbia's request for Dr Ganic's provisional arrest and the issue of possible immunity from arrest and detention. Pursuant to a warrant issued by a district judge at City of Westminster magistrates court, the Metropolitan police later arrested Dr Ganic.

Ejup Ganic

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with the Government of Serbia on the judgement given by Mr Tim Workman, Senior District Judge at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court on 27 July 2010 in the case of the Government of the Republic of Serbia  v. Ejup Ganic.

David Lidington: The Government have had no discussions with the Government of Serbia on the judgment given in the case of the Government of the Republic of Serbia  v. Ejup Ganic.

India: Foreign Relations

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to sustain and develop relations with India following the Prime Minister's visit in July 2010.

Alistair Burt: The visit to India by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and ministerial colleagues in July 2010 formed an excellent basis on which to develop an enhanced partnership with India. The Government have worked since the visit to take this forward at all levels. My hon. Friend the Minister for Immigration visited India in August 2010 and the coming months will see visits by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence and International Development, and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Universities and Science. Officials and members of the business community are in the final stages of establishing forums to pursue mutual trade and investment interests. And co-operation on science, education and climate change is ongoing. People to people links also remain important and my ministerial colleagues and I look forward to meeting a visiting delegation of Indian parliamentarians on 14 October 2010.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to seek to secure the release of Gilad Shalit.

Alistair Burt: The UK has been consistent in its views of the inviolability of Israel's security and for the need to release, unconditionally, Gilad Shalit.
	My right hon. friend the Foreign Secretary made the following statement on 25 June 2010, the fourth anniversary of Shalit's capture:
	"Today marks the fourth anniversary of the abduction of Israeli soldier, Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit. My thoughts are with Gilad's parents today. I sincerely hope that they will soon be able to welcome their son home.
	The UK has long called for Gilad Shalit's immediate and unconditional release and we reiterate that call today. It is also vital that Hamas allows the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit Gilad immediately and ensure that he is in good health. His continued captivity without any ICRC access and with only very occasional, minimal contact with his family is utterly unacceptable. We continue to call on Hamas to renounce violence and take immediate and concrete steps towards the Quartet principles and to free Gilad Shalit without delay."

Office of UK Permanent Representative to EC

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that the appointment of the next UK Permanent Representative to the EU is made subject to a confirmation hearing by the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.

David Lidington: It is not our practice for Diplomatic Service appointments to be subject to such hearings. The Government will continue to offer the Committee post-appointment hearings in the case of outside appointments to diplomatic posts.

Office of UK Permanent Representative to EC

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he uses to assess the performance of the UK Permanent Representative to the EU against the objectives set for him.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office uses an annual appraisal cycle to assess the performance of all the staff. At the beginning of each reporting period, the job holder agrees a series of objectives with their line manager against which their performance is assessed on a regular basis throughout the year.

Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Government of Pakistan on the attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims in Mardan, Pakistan on 3 September 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK condemns all attacks against religious minorities in Pakistan, whenever and wherever they happen.
	The attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims in Mardan on 3 September 2010 are a further example of the persecution suffered by this religious group. They follow the horrific attacks in Lahore on 28 May 2010, in which over 90 people were killed. These attacks were condemned by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, and our high commissioner in Islamabad raised the discrimination suffered by the Ahmadiyya community with the Chief Minister of Punjab alongside his EU colleagues. I have spoken directly to the Pakistani Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, to encourage Pakistan to fully guarantee the fundamental rights of all Pakistani citizens.

Serbia: EU Enlargement

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the surrender of Ratko Mladic to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as a pre-condition for the signing of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU.

David Lidington: The UK, along with all other EU member states, has consistently made clear that achieving and maintaining full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is essential for Serbia's progress towards EU membership.
	In April 2008, EU member states signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and Interim Agreement on trade and trade related matters (IA) with Serbia, in recognition of the EU's commitment to Serbia's European future, but agreed to delay implementation of the IA, and the commencement of ratification procedures of the SAA, pending agreement among EU member states that Serbia was fully co-operating with ICTY.
	In December 2009, following a positive report by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor to the UN Security Council (UNSC), EU member states agreed to implement the IA and to consider the issue of ratification of the SAA after a further six months.
	In June 2010, following the most recent report to the UNSC by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, EU member states noted that Serbia had maintained its co-operation with the tribunal and agreed to submit Serbia's SAA to their Parliaments for ratification.
	The Government will continue to keep Serbia's co-operation with ICTY under review, including at each stage of its EU accession process, in order to ensure that it continues to co-operate fully with the tribunal.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on recent reports of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We support the EU's statement of 17 September at the UN Human Rights Council encouraging Sri Lanka to improve the human rights situation and intensify its efforts to address the legacy of the military conflict. Our high commission in Colombo regularly speak with EU counterparts in Sri Lanka and we repeatedly call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to investigate reports of human rights abuses wherever they occur.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken at  (a) the United Nations and  (b) EU level to establish an independent inquiry into human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

Alistair Burt: We have welcomed the UN Secretary-General's establishment of a Panel of Experts to advise him on the issue of accountability, and encouraged the Government of Sri Lanka to co-operate fully with the members of the panel, including through the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.
	We support the EU statements of 27 October 2009 and 8 June 2010 calling for an independent and credible inquiry into allegations of violations of international law in the conflict and for those accountable to be brought to justice. Most recently we support the EU statement of 17 September at the UN Human Rights Council encouraging Sri Lanka to improve the human rights situation and intensify its efforts to address the legacy of the military conflict.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the internal inquiry by the Sri Lankan Government into human rights abuses.

Alistair Burt: We welcomed the Government of Sri Lanka's 'Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission' (LLRC) which is examining the causes of the conflict in the period 2002 to May 2009 when it was set up, but also stressed that it should investigate fully allegations of war crimes. We will continue to closely monitor progress on human rights issues, given the need for a credible process which addresses UK and international concerns.

UK Permanent Representative to EC

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what powers of prerogative Kim Darroch was appointed UK Permanent Representative to the EU.

David Lidington: The appointment of the UK's Permanent Representative to the EU is made in accordance with the Diplomatic Service Order in Council 1991, which also covers other appointments of senior ambassadorial rank.

UK Permanent Representative to EC

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will require any future UK Permanent Representative to the EU to appear before the appropriate committee of the House prior to taking up the appointment.

David Lidington: Select Committees of the House are able to ask Government officials to give evidence. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials appear before committees on a regular basis.

Vietnam

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the strategic partnership agreement with Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: A copy of the Strategic Partnership Declaration has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Speaking after the signing of the declaration on 8 September my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said:
	"Today's agreement with Vietnam is yet another example of the UK's commitment to pursuing an active foreign policy with emerging powers around the world. This partnership will bring more direct links between our universities, closer co-operation on serious and organised crime and will continue our frank dialogue on human rights. It is also a real boost for British businesses looking to invest in Vietnam."

JUSTICE

Arrest Warrants: Offenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost to the public purse of  (a) issuing and  (b) executing a warrant for the arrest of a defendant absent from court was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: HMCS systems do not currently identify the cost to the public purse in relation to issuing or executing a warrant for the arrest of a defendant absent from court, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ashwell Prison

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish his Department's internal report on the riot at Ashwell prison in early April 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) drew up an action plan in response to each of the recommendations in the report, all of which were accepted by Ministers. A copy of the action plan was placed in the Library in response to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr Garnier) on 11 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 462-63W.
	Key findings were that the incident could not have been foreseen; that the prisoners held at Ashwell were appropriate for the prison; and that staffing levels were also appropriate. It is not NOMS policy to publish in full restricted reports, which contain sensitive information and, in this case, where criminal investigations are continuing.

Bail

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many defendants have breached their bail conditions in the last three years; and how many were remanded in custody as a result;
	(2)  how many people breached bail conditions  (a) once,  (b) between two and five and  (c) on more than five occasions in each of the last five years; and how many people in each category were subsequently remanded in custody.

Crispin Blunt: Information on breaches of bail conditions is not held centrally. The courts have this information before them to enable them to take a fully informed remand decision on an individual case basis.

Courts: Applications

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions  (a) magistrates courts and  (b) the Crown court refused applications by the Crown Prosecution Service to remand defendants in custody in each of the last three years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Information about the number of occasions that magistrates courts and the Crown court refused applications by the Crown Prosecution Service to remand defendants in custody is not centrally collected on either Crown Prosecution Service or HM Courts Service central database systems.
	Although the recording of bail decisions is a required court function, the Crown Prosecution Service does not routinely record bail decisions and report on them even though endorsements are made on case files. To find this information, each case file would have to be reviewed to ascertain whether these circumstances applied. Therefore, in this case a disproportionate cost would be incurred.

Courts: Attendance

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of attendance in court of  (a) defendants,  (b) witnesses and  (c) police officers of his proposals to close magistrates courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: I do not anticipate that the court closure proposals will have a significant effect on attendance in court of defendants, witnesses or police officers.
	There is no evidence to suggest that travel distance to court is a significant cause of defendants failing to appear. Defendants are expected to attend court when summoned and courts may take into account travel considerations for defendants and witnesses when listing cases.
	Ministry of Justice economists are currently working on the provision of area-wide impact assessments that will provide a full assessment of the costs and benefits of each closure. These will include an assessment of the travel impact on court users, police and probation and solicitors funded by legal aid.
	We intend to publish the impact assessments alongside the consultations responses, by the end of the year.

Courts: Closures

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely  (a) savings to and  (b) maintenance costs foregone by HM Courts Service arising from the closure of each magistrates court proposed in his Department's consultation.

Jonathan Djanogly: The estimates of operating costs and maintenance backlog costs foregone by HM Courts Service (HMCS) for each proposed magistrates court closure are listed in the following table. The 2009-10 operating costs exclude income, as well as non-cash, staff and judicial costs. The maintenance backlog figures were collected in July 2009.
	HMCS will produce a final proposal impact assessment for each consultation document to inform any decision on whether and which courts should close. These impact assessments will take account of the potential costs and benefits to HMCS, as well as wider economic, societal and environmental costs and benefits. We intend to publish these alongside the consultations responses, by the end of the year.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Magistrates court  Operating costs 2009-10  Maintenance backlog 2009 
			  Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Thames Valley   
			 Amersham Magistrates Court 80 7 
			 Bicester Magistrates Court 86 - 
			 Didcot Magistrates Court 98 20 
			 Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court 184 205 
			 Newbury Magistrates Court* 132 - 
			 Witney Magistrates Court 64 45 
			
			  Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk   
			 Cromer Magistrates Court 79 28 
			 Ely Magistrates Court 45 76 
			 Epping Magistrates Court 61 - 
			 Grays Magistrates Court 184 296 
			 Harlow Magistrates Court 148 - 
			 Sudbury Magistrates Court 63 8 
			 Swaffham Magistrates Court 40 7 
			 Thetford Magistrates Court 109 98 
			 Wisbech Magistrates Court 124 10 
			
			  Cheshire and Merseyside   
			 Knowsley Magistrates Court 235 745 
			 Northwich Magistrates Court* 221 135 
			 Southport Magistrates Court 161 285 
			
			  Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria   
			 Alnwick Magistrates Court 75 - 
			 Bishop Auckland Magistrates Court* 152 55 
			 Blaydon Magistrates Court 102 60 
			 Gosforth Magistrates Court 75 95 
			 Guisborough Magistrates Court 72 50 
			 Hexham Magistrates Court (Tynedale) 75 90 
			 Houghton Le Spring Magistrates Court 138 25 
			
			  Cumbria and Lancashire   
			 Penrith Magistrates Court* 89 370 
			 Rawtenstall Magistrates Court 74 225 
			 Whitehaven Magistrates Court 154 305 
			
			  Devon and  Corn wall, Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire   
			 Bridgwater Magistrates Court 207 230 
			 Camborne Magistrates Court 25 75 
			 Cirencester Magistrates Court 63 162 
			 Coleford Magistrates Court 51 170 
			 Frome Magistrates Court 91 190 
			 Honiton Magistrates Court 64 - 
			 Liskeard Magistrates Court 193 280 
			 Newton Abbot Magistrates Court 128 170 
			 Penzance Magistrates Court 26 - 
			 Stroud Magistrates Court 129 160 
			 Totnes Magistrates Court 52 205 
			
			  Dorset, Hampshire and IOW and Wiltshire   
			 Alton Magistrates Court 178 290 
			 Andover Magistrates Court 183 370 
			 Blandford Forum Magistrates Court 52 415 
			 Lyndhurst Magistrates Court 180 290 
			 Wimborne Magistrates Court 60 2 
			
			  East Midlands   
			 Coalville Magistrates Court 115 340 
			 Daventry Magistrates Court 74 90 
			 Ilkeston Magistrates Court 198 160 
			 Kettering Magistrates Court 109 15 
			 Market Harborough Magistrates Court 61 8 
			 Melton Mowbray Magistrates Court* 116 75 
			 Newark Magistrates Court* 178 90 
			 Retford Magistrates Court 53 175 
			 Rutland Magistrates Court - - 
			 Spalding Magistrates Court 223 65 
			 Towcester Magistrates Court 62 30 
			 Worksop Magistrates Court* 203 - 
			
			  Greater Manchester   
			 Rochdale Magistrates Court 568 417 
			 Salford Magistrates Court 477 2,290 
			
			  Humber and South Yorkshire   
			 Goole Magistrates Court* 96 80 
			
			  Kent, Surrey and Sussex   
			 Ashford Magistrates Court* 250 595 
			 Epsom Magistrates Court - - 
			 Haywards Heath Magistrates Court 306 640 
			 Lewes Magistrates Court 200 50 
			 Sittingbourne Magistrates Court 136 195 
			 Woking Magistrates Court 333 60 
			
			  London   
			 Acton Magistrates Court 204 310 
			 Balham Youth Court 264 325 
			 Barking and Dagenham Magistrates Court 313 115 
			 Brentford Magistrates Court 176 635 
			 Haringey Magistrates Court (Highgate) 312 275 
			 Harrow Magistrates Court 227 60 
			 Kingston upon Thames Magistrates Court 319 170 
			 Sutton Magistrates Court 348 90 
			 Tower Bridge Magistrates Court 268 810 
			 Waltham Forest Magistrates Court 386 100 
			 Woolwich Magistrates Court 181 45 
			
			  North and West Yorkshire   
			 Batley and Dewsbury Magistrates Court 391 455 
			 Bingley/Keighley Magistrates Court 263 225 
			 Pontefract Magistrates Court 230 180 
			 Selby Magistrates Court 131 100 
			 Skipton Magistrates Court* 148 310 
			
			  Staffordshire and West Mercia   
			 Ludlow Magistrates Court* 13 30 
			 Market Drayton Magistrates Court 82 55 
			 Oswestry Magistrates Court* 65 - 
			 Stoke on Trent Magistrates Court 407 425 
			 Tamworth Magistrates Court* 163 120 
			
			  Wales   
			 Aberdare Magistrates Court* 258 190 
			 Abergavenny Magistrates Court 127 631 
			 Abertillery Magistrates Court 83 69 
			 Ammanford Magistrates Court 110 45 
			 Barry Magistrates Court 282 255 
			 Cardigan Magistrates Court 88 50 
			 Chepstow Magistrates Court* 3 - 
			 Denbigh Magistrates Court 39 120 
			 Flint Magistrates Court 90 - 
			 Llandovery Magistrates Court - - 
			 Llangefni Magistrates Court 23 - 
			 Llwynypia Magistrates Court 205 125 
			 Pwllheli Magistrates Court 32 - 
			
			  Warwickshire and West Midlands   
			 Halesowen Magistrates Court 178 75 
			 Rugby Magistrates Court* 445 30 
			 Sutton Coldfield Magistrates Court 239 195 
			 West Bromwich Magistrates Court 194 270

Courts: Expenditure

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much HM Courts Service has spent on the maintenance of Keighley magistrates court sitting at Bingley magistrates court in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The resource maintenance costs incurred at Keighley magistrates court, sitting at Bingley, for the last five years are given in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2005-06 37,523 
			 2006-07 39,554 
			 2007-08 95,541 
			 2008-09 37,471 
			 2009-10 71,312

Courts: Expenditure

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the operating costs were under each category of expenditure of operating Keighley magistrates court sitting at Bingley magistrates court in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The operating costs for 2009-10 for Keighley magistrates court sitting at Bingley are given in the table under each category of expenditure. These costs exclude income but include non-cash costs, staffing costs and judicial costs incurred by HM Courts Service.
	
		
			   £ 
			 Staff Cost - Wages and Salaries 328,574.61 
			 Property Rent and Rates 4,318.77 
			 Maintenance 71,312.19 
			 Other Property Costs 114,809.17 
			 Other Expenditure 9,188.59 
			 Printing Postage and Office expenditure 27,663.74 
			 Staff travel and other 2,238.25 
			 Depreciation and Amortisation 44,961.97 
			 Diminution of Fixed and Intangible Assets 4,668.87 
			 Fuel and Utilities 26,525.33 
			 Other Contracted Out Services 2,832.77 
			 IT and Telecommunications 7,178.30 
			 Judicial Costs 73,936.50 
			 Total 718,209.06

Courts: North Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on the re-organisation of administrative staff in magistrates courts and county courts in North Wales.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have received no representations on court staff reorganisations within North Wales. Staff reorganisation is principally a matter for HMCS management and is undertaken using HMCS's internal staff management and consultation procedures, which includes consultation and engagement with staff, trade unions, judiciary and court user groups.

Courts: Offenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of defendants changed a plea before trial at  (a) magistrates courts and  (b) the Crown court in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: In the second quarter of 2010, around 26,000 defendants entered a plea and were dealt with in trial cases at the Crown court. Of these defendants, around 16% changed their plea before the first substantive hearing. The second quarter of 2010 is the latest period for which statistics are available.
	Information collected centrally about defendants in trials at the magistrates courts does not record whether their plea was changed prior to the trial taking place.

Courts: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of sentences for a second offence in  (a) magistrates courts and  (b) the Crown court were handed down to run concurrently with another sentence in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The requested information is not held. Information collated on sentencing is on a principal offence basis i.e. each offender is recorded with the most severe punishment they receive, and the offence for which that sentence was given. Concurrent sentences which do not result in any punishment over and above the principal sentence are therefore not reported.

Courts: Yorkshire

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to announce the outcome of his consultation on the future of court services in North and West Yorkshire, with particular reference to Skipton Magistrates Court and Skipton County Court.

Jonathan Djanogly: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor hopes to announce decisions on the proposals for the future provision of court services in England and Wales to Parliament by the end of the year.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessors spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice accounting systems do not centrally collate the amount of money reimbursed to staff for expenses. Expenditure on staff expenses is recorded according to the type of expenditure incurred not the mechanism of payment. Expenditure on travel and subsistence can be incurred by direct booking with the Department's designated suppliers, via Government Procurement Card or by reimbursement of expenses incurred personally by officials. To collate information on amounts reimbursed would incur disproportionate costs as thousands of documents held locally would have to be manually examined.
	Departments and agencies have authority to reimburse expenses incurred by their staff in connection with their employment, subject to the conditions set out in section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code which state that Departments and agencies must:
	reimburse staff only for expenses which they actually and necessarily incur in the course of official business;
	comply with the additional conditions and rules on travel, relocation expenses, compensation for loss or damage to property, and overseas expenses set out in sections 8.2 to 8.6 of the Code; and
	ensure that their rules provide for claiming recompense, including verification and authorisation.
	All expenditure on expenses is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety that are based on the principles set out in Government Accounting and supported by the Department's published internal guidance.
	During the course of 2010-11, the MoJ is rolling out an online expenses system (iExpenses) that will make claiming expenses more efficient and easier to monitor in future. Full information will be available from 2011-12.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Jonathan Djanogly: For the latest period for which figures are available (August 2010), the average cost to the Ministry of Justice for payment of an invoice was £3.90.
	In that period 81% of invoices were settled electronically and 19% were settled by cheque.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice has awarded two IT contracts and one management consultancy contract since 7 May 2010.
	The IT contracts were as follows:
	
		
			  Company  Contract purpose  Contract value (£000) 
			 AMTEC (IT) Implementation of electronic working arrangements in the Royal Courts of Justice 270 
			 PWC (Consultancy) Provision of actuarial modelling techniques to analyse options and scenarios under consideration as part of the Spending Review, 250 
			 CACI Ltd (IT) Development and application support for computer system for 7 years. 4,000

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Kenneth Clarke: I am unable to detail the value of vacant buildings and land owned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as this may potentially prejudice future market prices. However, I am able to provide details of MoJ properties that are currently on the market and these are shown in the following table. There are currently no vacant parcels of land on the market.
	In common with all Government Departments, the MoJ is required to dispose of surplus assets as quickly as possible.
	
		
			  Address  Region  Guide price (£) 
			 Crowland House, Withersfield Road, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 9LA East of England 190,000 
			 Probation Office, 12-14, Raymond Street, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2EA East of England 160,000 
			 Probation Office, 46 Nottingham Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire DN22 6LD East Midlands 273,000 
			 14 Pitt Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne North East 195,000 
			 South View, Ashington North East 150,000 
			 Oatlands Road, Liverpool North West 130,000 
			 HM Court Service Offices, Sandbach North West 350,000 
			 Gainsborough Magistrates Court North West 125,000 
			 Leigh County Court North West 120,000 
			 Gravesend County Court South East 300,000 
			 Mildenhall Magistrates Court, Mildenhall, Suffolk South East 200,000 
			 The Lonsdale Centre, 3 Blake Street, Bridgewater, Somerset TA6 3NB South West 155,000 
			 Bristol Magistrates Court South West 1,975,000 
			 19-20 Gold Tops, Newport, Gwent Wales 450,000 
			 27 Argyle Street, Newport, Gwent NP20 5NE Wales 115,000 
			 The Highway, Cwmbran, Gwent NP44 2HF Wales 155,000 
			 Caernarfon Magistrates Court Wales 60,000 
			 Stowe Street, Lichfield West Midlands 230,000 
			 12 Falsgrave Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 5AT Yorkshire and Humberside 158,400 
			 Whitby Magistrates Court Yorkshire and Humberside 350,000 
			 Louth Magistrates Court Yorkshire and Humberside 150,000

Departmental Official Hospitality

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in the Department in each of the last three years.

Kenneth Clarke: Since its inception in May 2007, the Ministry of Justice has had 19 Ministers. It would incur disproportionate costs to search the diaries of each Minister to ascertain which of the events listed were hosted by them, and then to contact the relevant business group to find out how much any hospitality cost.
	All hospitality expenditure incurred by the Department is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which are based on the principles set out in Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2007.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) subscribes to many different periodicals and professional magazines (hard copy and online via individual purchase and subscription) for both staff and the judiciary in order to keep up to date with the latest news and thinking in a wide range of professional areas, including law, corporate services and job-specific roles.
	Accounting systems for the MOJ, HMCS, Tribunals Service and Office of the Public Guardian do not differentiate soft and hard copy purchases. The same account codes also include some library purchases such as books and it would incur disproportionate costs to separate these costs out. The natural account codes for the National Offender Management Service do not differentiate purchased publications and publications created for their organisation.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the spending review.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Redundancy Pay

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what severance payment was made to each  (a) Minister and  (b) special adviser in his Department who left office after the last general election.

Kenneth Clarke: All severance payments are made in accordance with section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. Following the last general election, six Ministers received a severance payment. These were:
	Right hon. Jack Straw MP-Secretary of State for Justice (former)
	Right hon. Michael Wills MP-Minister of State for Justice (former)
	Maria Eagle MP-Joint Minister of State for Justice and Government Equalities Office (former)
	Lord Bach-Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (former)
	Bridget Prentice-Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (former)
	Claire Ward MP-Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (former)
	The total cost of severance payments made to these Ministers was £73,442.
	Two former Ministry of Justice special advisers working to the Secretary of State for Justice also received a severance payment. These were:
	Mark Davies-special adviser to the Secretary of State for Justice (special adviser pay range 3)
	Declan McHugh-special adviser to the Secretary of State for Justice (special adviser pay range 2)
	The total cost of severance payments made to these special advisers was £67,492.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Jonathan Djanogly: Between 7 May 2010 and 30 June 2010 (the date of the latest published data), no staff were seconded into the Ministry of Justice.

Immigration Appeals Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the remit is of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Tribunals Service, an Executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, is responsible for providing administrative support to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). SIAC deals with appeals against decisions of the Secretary of State for the Home Department (a) to deport, or exclude, someone from the UK on national security or public interest grounds and (b) on issues of citizenship as set out in the British Nationality Act 1981.

Legal Aid: Contracts

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what negotiations the Legal Services Commission has undertaken with  (a) parties to the 2007 Unified Civil Contract for legal aid services and  (b) parties who are not party to the contract in respect of any extension to it; and on what dates and with whom such negotiations took place.

Jonathan Djanogly: On 3 September, representatives from the Legal Services Commission (LSC) met with representatives from the Law Society to discuss a short extension to the Unified Contract (Civil). This was agreed at a further meeting between these two organisations on 6 September. In accordance with the terms of the Unified Contract (Civil) Standard Terms, a short consultation with the other main representative bodies (Advice Services Alliance and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group) then followed. Formal notification was then posted on the LSC's website on 13 September and issued by e-mail to existing contract holders. Discussions in relation to the contract extension were therefore all held with parties that are not holders of the Unified Contract (Civil) but their representative bodies.

Legal Aid: Contracts

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration  (a) his Department and  (b) the Legal Services Commission gave to the requirements of (i) procurement law and (ii) contract law in decisions on the extension of the 2007 Unified Civil Contract for legal aid services.

Jonathan Djanogly: Decisions made under the tender process for the award of legal aid contracts are a matter for the LSC, which is responsible for administering the legal aid scheme.
	The one-month extension of the Unified Contract (Civil) has been implemented by the LSC in accordance with the contract's standard terms. This followed consultation with representative bodies in accordance with the contract's standard terms. Legal advice was taken by the LSC on procurement and contractual law as appropriate.

Legal Aid: Contracts

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what extensions to the 2007 Unified Civil Contract for legal aid services there have been; on what date the extensions were made; and on what basis they were made.

Jonathan Djanogly: The 2007 Unified Contract (Civil) was initially granted for three years from 1 April 2007 (to expire on 31 March 2010 unless lawfully ended or extended before then). On 23 December 2009 the LSC published notification that the contract would be extended to 14 October 2010. This extension was to take account of tenders for 2010 contracts opening in January-March 2010. On 13 September 2010 a further extension of the contract to expire at midnight on 14 November 2010 was announced. This was to take account of the legal challenge brought by the Law Society. Both extensions were made in accordance with the provisions of the contract.

Magistrates: Public Expenditure

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of recruiting and training new magistrates in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The average estimated costs of the induction training for the period 2009-10 for new magistrates was £180.56 calculated on 1,632 magistrates appointed and estimated costs of £294,678.86.
	The figure is made up from the individual reports of local Magistrates' Area Training Committees. Following selection and appointment, a magistrate will be assigned to a 'bench' for induction, training and court rota purposes. The local Magistrates' Area Training Committee provides the training utilising the core training materials prepared by the Judicial Studies Board.
	The average estimated costs of recruiting magistrates for the period 2009-10 was £93.75 calculated on 1,632 magistrates appointed and estimated cost of £153,000.
	The £153,000 is the estimated budget for the recruitment campaigns during the period 2009-10.

Medway Secure Training Centre: Conduct

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) internal,  (b) external and  (c) police investigations into the conduct of staff were conducted at Medway secure training centre in each year since 1998; and what the outcome was of each investigation in respect of which any legal proceedings have been completed.

Crispin Blunt: Medway Secure Training Centre (STC) conducts an internal investigation for every allegation made against the conduct of staff and following any referrals made to its local Children's Services Team. External investigations are carried out by the local Children's Services Child Protection Team (CSPT), who will involve the police for investigation when this is deemed necessary.
	There were no legal proceedings as a result of any investigation carried out by the CSPT. Using these criteria the figures are as follows:
	
		
			   Internal  External  Police 
			 2001 13 0 0 
			 2002 19 1 0 
			 2003 50 13 0 
			 2004 32 7 0 
			 2005 37 5 0 
			 2006 26 4 0 
			 2007 31 2 0 
			 2008 19 0 0 
			 2009 34 0 0 
			 2010 26 0 0 
		
	
	Data prior to 2001 are unavailable for the purpose of this question.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Medway Secure Training Centre: Restraint Techniques

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any injuries were sustained as a result of the use of restraint techniques on boys held in Medway secure training centre since 1998.

Crispin Blunt: All secure establishments submit monthly data returns to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) on the number of injuries from restrictive physical interventions (RPI). Data on injuries are reported against common definitions of minor injury requiring medical treatment (which includes cuts, scratches and grazes) and serious injury requiring hospital treatment (which includes fractures and loss of consciousness).
	Data have been collected on the injuries arising from an RPI since April 2007 and these figures have been provided in the table. These include both of the above categories of injuries. Data are not available broken down by gender.
	
		
			   Injury requiring medical treatment 
			 2007-08 67 
			 2008-09 38 
		
	
	The data from 2009-10 will be available following the publication of the 2009-10 Annual YJB Workload statistics in January 2011.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to implement the recommendation of the final report of the Missing Persons Taskforce on a Presumption of Death Bill for England and Wales.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Missing Persons Taskforce recommended that my Department consider the benefits and circumstances in which a presumption of death might apply in missing person cases. We are currently considering these matters and shall report when we have more information.

National Offender Management Service: Buildings

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the National Offender Management Service has a standard rental rate for probation service offices; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service negotiates the best market rate for the rent of probation premises to ensure value for money.
	A standard rate, currently £178 per square metre, is applied to probation offices, which covers the cost of rent, rates, service charges, electricity, gas, oil, water and telephones. It also covers facility management and estate management costs, including the provision of building repair and maintenance, plus non-cash costs such as depreciation, dilapidation provisions and impairment charges.
	This rate is levied on the basis of the gross internal area being occupied in a given period. The charge is adjusted when a probation trust either vacates a building or otherwise increases or decreases the floor area they use.

Offenders: West Midlands

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people with addresses in  (a) the metropolitan borough of Dudley and  (b) the metropolitan borough of Walsall are (i) in prison, (ii) on probation and (iii) in secure accommodation.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is set out as follows.
	 Prison
	Information on a prisoner's residence is provided by prisoners on reception into prison. If no address is given on first reception in to prison, various proxies are used to determine a home address, including using the next-of-kin address and the committal court address. These figures are included in the answer.
	As of 10 September 2010, based on this information there were 254 people in a prison or young offender institution with a recorded address in the metropolitan borough of Dudley and 297 people in a prison or young offender institution with a recorded address in the metropolitan borough of Walsall.
	These figures include male and female prisoners, adults, young offenders and juveniles and those who are sentenced and on remand.
	 Probation
	Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust record the total number of offenders managed in the community with recorded address in the metropolitan boroughs of Dudley and Walsall.
	At the end of August 2010, based on this information there were 679 people who had received a community sentence and were being managed in the community by the Probation Service with an address in the borough of Dudley. On the same date there were 672 people who had received a community sentence and were being managed in the community by the Probation Service with an address in the borough of Walsall. These figures include both males and females.
	 Secure Accommodation
	The Youth Justice Board does not record the local authority of a young person's home address. The Youth Justice Board does however hold data on the youth offending team (YOT) attached to the young person. The following table shows the number of people under 18 who are attached to Dudley and Walsall youth offending teams (YOTs) in secure accommodation on 10 September 2010
	
		
			   Dudley YOT  Walsall YOT 
			 Secure Children's Homes 0 0 
			 Secure Training Centres 1 4 
			 Total 1 4 
		
	
	All data have been drawn from individual administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Prison Service: Racial Discrimination

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many racist incidents were reported in prisons in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table indicates the total number of incidents of alleged racism reported by prisoners, staff or visitors in the last three reporting years.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007-08 13,323 
			 2008-09 14,578 
			 2009-10 13,365 
		
	
	A small proportion consist of allegations of misconduct by staff and all such matters are subject to disciplinary investigation under the code of conduct and discipline.
	All investigations into reported acts of racism are overseen and signed off by the governor or deputy governor. In addition, the regional custodial manager conducts bi-annual checks of a random sample of investigations.
	The NOMS Race Review 2008-published in December 2008 and available in the Library-sets out the current assessment of race equality in the prison service, including the effectiveness of these systems and plans for work further to improve them.

Prisoners' Release

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders serving a custodial sentence for a violent crime were  (a) released on licence and  (b) re-arrested for a further violent offence while under licence in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of offenders serving a determinate sentence for violence against the person released on licence over the last five years (2005 to 2009).
	
		
			   Number 
			 1 January to 30 June 2009(1) 4,524 
			 2008 9,622 
			 2007 8,600 
			 2006 8,014 
			 2005 8,265 
			 (1) Data for the second half of 2009 are not available. 
		
	
	Information is not held centrally for offenders arrested for a further violent offence while under licence.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Religion

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 576-77W, on prisoners: religion, which 44 prisons in England and Wales logged Security Information Reports of incidents which might relate to manifestations of attempted radicalisation.

Crispin Blunt: It would be inappropriate for operational reasons, including implications for order and control and the integrity of security systems, to provide the information requested.
	All security information reports submitted by staff have to be evaluated for quality, accuracy and intelligence value. Reporting levels can be driven by the fluidity of prisoner populations, varying significance, interpretation and subjective perceptions of particular circumstances and individuals, and the possibility of duplicative reporting. The number of SIRs submitted, therefore, does not provide a true reflection of risk.
	There is therefore a sensitivity in listing the prisons who logged security information reports of incidents which might relate to manifestations of attempted radicalisation.
	I will write privately to the hon. Member.

Prisoners: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision is being made in prisons serving North Wales to ensure that rehabilitation, education and support services take into account the fact that many prisoners in such prisons have Welsh as their first language; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: At present prisons in the North West and the West Midlands take prisoners from North Wales. There will also be some prisoners held in the high security estate, due to the nature of their offence. The majority of prisoners from North Wales are held in HMP Altcourse, which has established a wide range of Welsh language provision specifically to support Welsh language speakers. This includes learning and skills provision. Also, those organisations that would be involved in the resettlement of prisoners back to their communities in North Wales would also provide Welsh language services as required.
	I am looking to increase access to Welsh language services for prisoners who have Welsh as their first language throughout the prison estate. As part of that work, the National Offender Management Service is drafting Welsh Language Scheme, which is intended to be published for consultation later this year.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many assaults on prisoners by prisoners were reported in each of the last three years; and how many additional days were added to the sentences of those responsible for such assaults in each such year.

Crispin Blunt: The numbers of recorded prisoner-on-prisoner assault incidents for the last three calendar years (2007 to 2009) are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  England and Wales 
			   Assault incidents 
			  Prisoner on prisoner  
			 2007 12,018 
			 2008 12,834 
			 2009 12,147 
			  Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and so although shown to the last case, the figures may not be accurate to that level. 
		
	
	Additional days arise from adjudication outcomes. Data on adjudications count the number of offences and punishments given rather than the number of prisoners charged with those offences. The following table gives details of offences punished: the total number of punishments given and the number of times additional days were given as a punishment for assault on a prisoner by a prisoner in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
	
		
			  England and Wales 
			   Assault incidents 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			  Prisoner on  p risoner
			 Number of offences punished 3,319 3,643 3,350 
			 Number of punishments: 6,020 6,830 6,661 
			  O f which:
			 Additional days given 225 210 213 
			  Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and so although shown to the last case, the figures may not be accurate to that level. 
		
	
	The figures are taken from Table 8.4 of the Ministry of Justice Statistics bulletin "Offender Management Caseload Statistics" available at the MoJ website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	The figures in the bulletins cover all proven adjudication offences committed and punishments given for these breaches of prison discipline. More than one punishment can be given for a single offence.

Prisons: Employment

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners in each open prison have employment outside prison.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information centrally. NOMS delegates authority for negotiating prisoner work placements to the governors of the 26 prisons in the 'Resettlement Estate', along with responsibility for risk assessment, health and safety at work, and public protection. Normally a period will have been spent undertaking voluntary work before employment will be considered.
	An ad hoc survey carried out in June 2009 recorded 482 prisoners held in England and Wales working outside prisons in a variety of employment, and work experience placements. Details by establishment are in the following table:
	
		
			  Region  Prison  Employment placements 
			 East Midlands Ashwell - 
			  Morton Hall 4 
			  North Sea Camp 12 
			  Sudbury 79 
			
			 East of England Hollesley Bay 27 
			
			 London Latchmere House 58 
			
			 North East Kirklevington Grange 45 
			  Low Newton - 
			
			 North West Kirkham 31 
			
			 South East Blantyre House 36 
			  Downview 9 
			  Ford 19 
			  Spring Hill 31 
			  Reading 2 
			  Rochester 2 
			  Send 5 
			  Standford Hill 29 
			  Dartmoor 2 
			
			 South West Eastwood Park 0 
			  Erlestoke 0 
			  Leyhill 39 
			
			 Wales Prescoed 6 
			
			 West Midlands Hewell 15 
			  Stoke Heath 0 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Askham Grange 16 
			  Moorland 15 
			 Total  482

Prisons: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on proposals for the construction of a new prison in north Wales.

Crispin Blunt: In October 2009, the Ministry of Justice began a site search for sites suitable for 1,500 place prisons in the priority areas of north west England, north Wales, west Yorkshire and Greater London as part of the new prisons programme. A number of sites in north Wales have been put forward.
	We will ensure that we meet prison capacity requirements more efficiently to improve value for money for the taxpayer and contribute savings to help reduce the budget deficit and the new prisons programme is consistent with those objectives.

Rape and Sexual Offences: Convictions

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the conviction rate was for cases of  (a) rape and  (b) sexual assault in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many women reported (i) rape and (ii) sexual assault to police in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for the offences: rape of a male; rape of a female; sexual assault on a male; and sexual assault on a female; and conviction ratio of guilty defendants against those proceeded against for England and Wales, 2008 (latest available) is shown in table 1.
	Data for 2009 will be published on 21 October 2010.
	Information held by the Home Office on sexual offences against females recorded by the police in England and Wales, 2009-10 (latest available) is shown in table 2.
	The Home Office collects data on the number of police recorded offences of rape of a female and sexual assault on a female but does not collect data on individuals reporting an offence, so cannot identify which of these offences were reported by women.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty( 1,2 ) at all courts for the offences: rape of a male; rape of a female; sexual assault on a male; and sexual assault on a female; and conviction ratios of guilty against those proceeded against, England and Wales, 2008( 3) 
			  Offence class  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Conviction ratio (%)( 4) 
			 Rape of a male 162 67 41 
			 Rape of a female 2,233 855 38 
			 Sexual assault on a male 295 228 77 
			 Sexual assault on a female 3,069 1,892 62 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2O08.  (4) The conviction ratio is the number of defendants found guilty in 2008 divided by the number of defendants proceeded against whose case was concluded in 2008.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Sexual offences against females recorded by the police in England and Wales, 2009-10 
			  Offence  Number  recorded crime 
			 Rape of a female aged 16 and over 9,102 
			 Rape of a female child under 16 2,926 
			 Rape of a female child under 13 1,963 
			 Rape of a female 13,991 
			   
			 Sexual assault on a female aged 13 and over 15,713 
			 Sexual assault on a female child under 13 4,160 
			 Assault of a female 19,873 
			  Source:  VCS, Home Office.

Rape: Rights of Accused

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 923W, on rape: rights of accused, for what reason he decided to consider anonymity for defendants in rape cases up to the point of charge; whether he is considering anonymity for defendants up to the point of charge for any other offences; if he will report to the House the outcome of his Department's consideration of the matter since July 2010; on what date in September 2010 he plans to publish the assessment of the existing research and statistics; when he plans to introduce legislative proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: We will publish the independent research assessment and make our considered views known shortly.

Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanism he plans to introduce for payment-by-results schemes to reduce re-offending rates among offenders; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Government are committed to introducing payment by results as part of a new approach to offender rehabilitation. We plan to commission providers to work with offenders to reduce reoffending, paid for by the subsequent savings generated in the criminal justice system.
	The Social Impact Bond at HMP Peterborough, launched on 10 September 2010, is an example of the innovative approach we want to take towards reducing reoffending.
	Officials in the Ministry of Justice are developing proposals for the introduction of further payment by results approaches. The outcome of this work will be published for consultation in the forthcoming Green Paper on offender rehabilitation.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how occasions restraint techniques have been used on  (a) boys and  (b) girls for the purposes of maintaining good order and discipline in secure training centres in each month since April 1998.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the use of restraint for reasons of good order and discipline by month and gender. Data on the reasons for restraint have only been collected centrally by the Youth Justice Board since April 2008. Data are only available up to July 2008, as changes to the secure training centre (STC) rules made at this time precluded STCs from using restraint for the purposes of good order and discipline.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
	
		
			  2008 
			  Month  Total  Male  Female 
			 April 2 0 2 
			 May 0 0 0 
			 June 3 1 2 
			 July 9 4 5 
		
	
	I would like to also draw attention to two answers given by my predecessor the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle) to the then hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 67-70W, and to the then hon. Member for Cardiff North (Julie Morgan) on 12 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 164-66W, which referred to the reasons for restraint. In these answers the number of restraints for reasons of good order and discipline in STCs in April 2008 was given as four. This was incorrect due to a data error and should have been two, as per the answer in the table above. These two occasions are for Rainsbrook STC, and Medway STC should read as 0.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions resulted in a community sentence in each of the last three years; and what the aggregate length of such sentences was in each such year.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons sentenced to community sentences and the total persons sentenced, as recorded on the courts proceedings database, in the last three years for which data are available is shown in table 1 as follows. The figures in table 1 refer to all community sentences. Data for 2009 will be available once Sentencing Statistics 2009 is published on 21 October 2010. The length of a community sentence is not recorded on the courts proceedings database so it is not possible to give the aggregate length of all community sentences from this source.
	Information from Offender Management Caseload Statistics provided in table 2, shows the length of community sentences as recorded by the probation service. The figures in this table refer to community orders (which are a specific type of community sentence).
	
		
			  Table 1: Persons sentenced to community sentences and total sentenced at all courts, 2006-08( 1, 2) 
			   2006  2007  2008 
			 Total community sentences 190,837 196,424 190,171 
			 Total offenders sentenced 1,412,940 1,406,788 1,353,937 
			 (1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  Justice Statistics-Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offenders starting community order supervision by the probation service with average length of order, 2006-09 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 All offenders 111,752 117,860 120,743 122,796 
			 Average length of order (months) 17.6 15.7 14.9 13.0 
			  Data sources and quality These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and so although shown to the last individual, the figures may not be accurate to that level. See Technical appendix of report for fuller information.  Source: Justice Statistics-Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice.

Sentencing: Wales

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the intensive alternatives to custody pilot schemes in South Wales and Dyfed-Powys;
	(2)  whether he plans to extend the implementation of the intensive alternatives to the custody scheme pilot.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has commissioned several independent studies of the intensive alternative to custody (IAC) projects, including the South Wales and Dyfed-Powys schemes. One study will establish whether an impact evaluation will be feasible and affordable. Depending on the outcome, and available resources, a proposal for an outcome evaluation on reoffending will be submitted for approval to the Ministry of Justice Research Quality Assurance Board and costs agreed with lead policy officers.
	At present there are no plans to extend central funding for IAC past the end of the pilot in 2011. However, each of the pilot areas is looking at ways that IAC could be mainstreamed within existing resources.

Television: Licensing

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in Leeds North West constituency have been prosecuted for not having a television licence in the last 12 months.  [Official Report, 8 March 2011, Vol. 524, c. 5MC.]

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for the offence of television licence evasion under the Communications Act 2003, in the West Yorkshire police force area for 2008 (latest available), was 6,652. Figures are not available at constituency level so police force area level data have been provided in lieu.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Data for 2009 will be published on 21 October 2010. The publication date for 2010 figures has not been finalised but will be announced on the UK National Statistics release calendar.

Tyres

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies take into account rolling resistance as a performance criterion when purchasing tyres.

Crispin Blunt: Vehicles are procured using pan-government lease and purchase framework agreements and are supplied with tyres specified by the manufacturer. Rolling resistance will be a factor taken into account by vehicle manufacturers as it will have an effect on published fuel economy performance figures.
	Tyres are replaced in accordance with contractual agreements, utilising national chains to ensure that discounts are fully optimised and value for money is obtained.
	The overriding requirements with regard to tyre replacements are primarily directed towards legal and health and safety requirements, fitness for purpose, and value for money. Rolling resistance is not taken into account as a performance criterion when tyres are due to be replaced, but emphasis is placed on ensuring that tyres are checked on a regular basis, and are inflated to the correct pressures.

War Memorials: Vandalism

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide war memorials with protection in law from defacement or defilement.

Crispin Blunt: Having examined the law in this area, we think existing legislation on criminal damage deals appropriately with offenders who deface, defile or otherwise damage war memorials.
	As the law stands, where the value of criminal damage is less than £5,000, the offence will be tried in a magistrates court and the maximum penalty available is three months' imprisonment. If the damage exceeds £5,000 and the case is tried in the magistrates court the maximum penalty is six months' imprisonment. If tried on indictment the maximum penalty is 10 years' imprisonment, and 14 years if the offence is racially or religiously motivated.
	This is an emotive issue and we fully understand why many people think the existing sentencing framework does not reflect the seriousness of the crime. But judges and magistrates can-and do-have regard to the special status of war memorials when sentencing an offender for criminal damage. That special status may aggravate any sentence imposed, within the constraints of the maximum penalties agreed by Parliament for this type of offence.

Youth Justice: Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms are in place to take account of the views of young people in his Department's policy on youth justice.

Crispin Blunt: We are committed to ensuring that the public, including young people, have the opportunity to participate in shaping policies which will affect them.
	For example, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) is currently engaging with young people on designing a new framework for assessing young offenders' needs when they enter the CJS.
	The YJB also supports practitioners in youth offending teams and the custodial estate to increase their skills in securing greater youth participation at local level.
	In the Ministry of Justice we are planning a programme to inform and engage young people in criminal justice issues, and particularly to help young people contribute their views to the forthcoming Rehabilitation and Sentencing Green Paper which will include a chapter on youth justice. We will do this through working with partners, stakeholders and local communities who engage with young people, as well as through direct channels including the internet and social media.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Banks: Loans

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase  (a) entrepreneurial activity and  (b) levels of bank lending to businesses in Witham constituency.

Edward Davey: The Prime Minister has set out his ambition to make this decade the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in our history. To realise this ambition, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, is developing a strategy for enterprise which challenges aspirations and capability, modernises business support, supports cash flow and access to finance, reduces burdens and transforms opportunities for individuals and their communities.
	Ensuring the flow of credit to business is a key priority for the Government and we recently published a Green Paper, "Financing a private sector recovery", requesting the views of individuals, businesses and financial institutions. The Government will respond in due course.
	As well as continuing to push banks to lend to viable businesses, the Government have extended the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme by £200 million to £700 million. As of 8 September 2010, 16 businesses in the constituency of Witham have been offered loans totalling £2.69 million, of which 15 businesses have drawn down £2.65 million.

Broadband: North East and North West

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of households in  (a) Redcar constituency,  (b) the North-East and  (c) the North- West which will have access to next generation broadband in each of the next five years.

Edward Vaizey: This Department has not made such estimation for these areas. The Government are committed to ensuring the UK has the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015, including the delivery of superfast broadband to rural and remote areas at the same time as in more populated areas.

Business Link West Midlands: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 522-3W, on Business Link West Midlands, what arrangements will be established to channel funding for Business Link West Midlands following the ending of regional development agencies.

Mark Prisk: The Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are due to be abolished in March 2012. This Department is currently considering how business support, information and advice will be provided once the RDAs are abolished.
	No decision on future arrangements will be made until all the options have been considered against the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Business Links: Expenditure

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of training and employing Business Link advisers in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mark Prisk: The cost of training and employing field-based Business Link advisers in 2009/10 was £55.95 million.
	This excludes expenses and overheads.

Business Links: Redcar

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Redcar constituency contacted Business Link in each of the last five years.

Mark Prisk: In the Redcar and Cleveland local authority area, Business Link had contact with the following number of businesses in the last five financial year periods. The following data are based on the number of unique customers assisted throughout the year, and represents customers who have received support through the Information, Diagnostic and Brokerage (IDB) service.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of customers assisted 
			 2006-07 520 
			 2007-08 354 
			 2008-09 537 
			 2009-10 589 
			 2010-11(1) 273 
			 (1 )YTD. 
		
	
	In the north east, the Business Link service has been delivered by Business and Enterprise North East since April 2007. The figures prior to that date are based on data obtained from the Business Link Tees Valley Customer Record Management system. Business Link does not hold data at constituency level.

Business: Government Assistance

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Redcar constituency received funding from one or more schemes operated by his Department and its predecessors in each of the last five years.

Mark Prisk: The following table shows that 31 businesses were supported in the last five years through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) schemes: Grant for Business Investment (GBI), (formerly known as Selective Finance for Investment in England or SFIE grants) and Grants for Research and Development (GRD) in Redcar constituency. A total of 34 projects were supported through the Manufacturing Advisory Service, MAS-NE. The grants are managed by the regional development agency, One North East. The value amount represents the maximum grant potentially payable if the projects are satisfactorily completed.
	
		
			   Data range 2005/06 to 2009/10 
			  Scheme  Number of businesses  Value (£) 
			 GBI and R and D 31 6,265,934 
			 MAS-NE 34 419,027 
			 Total 65 7,061,461

Business: Government Assistance

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to which  (a) organisations and  (b) projects in Redcar constituency his Department has made a grant in the last five years; and how much each such grant was.

Mark Prisk: The following table shows details of the organisations and businesses in the Redcar and Cleveland local authority area in the last five financial year that have received grants through the following Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) schemes: Grant for Business Investment (GBI), (formerly known as Selective Finance for Investment in England or SFIE grants), Grants for Research and Development (GRD), and The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS). Only GBI data are kept at constituency level.
	
		
			  Project name  Proposer  Total funding (£) 
			 Expansion of IT refurbishment and recycling facilities Recycling It Europe Ltd 75,000 
			 To acquire additional plant and machinery expansion Waste Exchange Services Ltd 100,000 
			  Cleveland Components Ltd 25,000 
			 Relocation Northern Site Supplies Ltd 10,000 
			 Start up Wilton Waste Treatment Ltd 120,000 
			 Purchase new machinery Cleveland Technologies Ltd 34,000 
			 Purchase machinery Signet Joinery and Laminate Products Direct Ltd 12,500 
			 Flexible substrates development facility Centre for Process Innovation Ltd (CPI) 1,869,781 
			 COBR (Continuous Oscillatory Baffle Reactor) (OFBR) CPI 122,548 
			 National Industrial Biotechnology Facility (NIBF) CPI 7,017,985 
			 UK National Particulates MNT Centre CPI 191,920 
			 CIN sustainable manufacturing CPI 989,789 
			 NE Environment and Energy Services Co (NE ESCO)(1) CPI 86,967 
			 PeTec LACE CPI 1,547,655 
			 Bioprocessing technology development CPI 444,420 
			 Patterned Substrates Project CPI 2,425,000 
			 Materials for device fabrication CPI 2,345,000 
			 Fuel Lab CPI 524,297 
			 Energy and environmental technology sector support CPI 1,498,594 
			 CPI development and research CPI 5,901,661 
			 CPI NE Energy 2015 CPI 432,000 
			 CPI LCE development and support network centre CPI 1,818,125 
			 CPI Atomic Layer Deposition CPI 450,000 
			 CPI Advanced Coating Facilities CPI 1,101,300 
			 CPI BioSource CPI 1,360,000 
			 CPI Novel Particulates NP3 CPI 1,229,957 
			 Wilton Connector-process business incubator CPI 783,303 
			 Integrated Innovation Support Program 2 CPI 563,771 
			 Cheminet CPI 72,429 
			 Fuel Cell Applications Facility (FCAF) CPI 1,996,279 
			 DupontSA productivity and general management training project Dupont Sabanci Polyester (UK) Ltd 600,000 
			 National Micro Fluidics Centre (Fluence) Epigem Ltd 1,999,923 
			  The North East of England Process Industry Cluster  
			 North East Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC) 2,597,409 
			 Resource Efficiency-Process Industries NEPIC 120,999 
			 Delivery of the Regional Biofuels Strategy NEPIC 1,198,000 
			 Process Pillar-NEPIC Skills/Prod Project NEPIC Process Industry 141,500 
			 Process Pillar-PICME Productivity Programme Centre for Manufacturing (PICME) 102,754 
			 Redcar Sea Front Zone Redcar and Cleveland borough council 170,000 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Regeneration Masterplan Redcar and Cleveland borough council 378,963 
			 REMTEC & REMTEC ERDF(1) TWI Ltd 1,347,870 
			 Gap Funding UK Steel Enterprise UK Steel Enterprise 1,076,881 
			 Renew Tees Valley and Environment Sector Support ERDF(1) Renew Tees Valley (RTV) Ltd 2,462,250 
			 Process Industries NBOHI(1) CPI 135,963 
			 Aquisition and Demolition of Leo's Redcar and Cleveland borough council 200,000 
			 Coatham Links Lifehouse Studies Redcar and Cleveland borough council 44,880 
			 South Tees Strategy (STS)-Acquisitions Redcar and Cleveland borough council 180,000 
			 STS-Gateways Ph.3 Redcar and Cleveland borough council 229,439 
			 South Tees Prairies Environmental Industries Park Redcar and Cleveland borough council 350,625 
			 South Tees Eco Park Redcar and Cleveland borough council 1,449,379 
			 STS-Teesport Commerce Park Redcar and Cleveland borough council 16,900 
			 STS-Phytoremediation Feas. Redcar and Cleveland borough council 20,000 
			 STS-Teesport Diversification Dry Bulk Redcar and Cleveland borough council 30,000 
			  Total Redcar and Cleveland constituency 50,003,016 
			 (1) Includes ERDF.   Note:  Excludes regional and sub-regional delivered projects including Skills and Economic Inclusion Inward Investment, Culture and Tourism.

Connaught Partnerships: Redundancy

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to assist staff who have been made redundant since the entry into administration of Connaught Partnerships.

Edward Davey: Former employees of insolvent employers can claim redundancy payments and other contractual debts such as unpaid wages, notice pay and outstanding holiday pay from the National Insurance Fund. The Insolvency Service's Birmingham Redundancy Payments Office (RPO) is liaising with the administrator of Connaught to establish what payments are due. Once the information is obtained to identify what payments are due they will be made without delay. The RPO aims to pay 78% of claims within three weeks of receipt and 92% within six weeks of receipt.
	Jobcentre Plus, through its rapid response service (RRS), offers access to a wide range of support for employers and employees. As well as advice on how to claim benefits, assistance includes identifying transferable skills, job-related training, and support to take up a new job, e.g. help with initial travel or child care costs. This support is provided by Jobcentre Plus, skills bodies, development agencies and local authorities. The administrator is liaising directly with the Jobcentre Plus national account manager who is co-ordinating the assistance through to local levels.

Copyright: Internet

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to respond to the policy recommendations of the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property Policy in respect of the proposed Google Books initiative.

Edward Davey: The Government have noted the recommendations of SABIP on this issue. Any settlement on the Google Books initiative will only apply to use of the works in the US and is primarily a matter for the US courts. However, the Government continue to monitor developments on this issue carefully and to consider the wider issues raised by this case, including the potential benefits of mass digitisation of creative works to increase legitimate access to these works for research, consumers and other businesses.

Corus

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Corus-Tata and  (b) Sahaviriya Steel Industries on the future of the Corus plant on Teesside.

Mark Prisk: Tata Steel has continued to keep the Department informed of developments in respect of the Teesside Cast Products plant. Since his appointment in May, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills has met Ratan Tata on two occasions, and he also spoke to Kirby Adams, former chief executive officer of Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) when the Memorandum of Understanding with Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Ltd (SSI) on the potential sale of Teesside Cast Products was announced on 27 August. Most recently, the UK ambassador in Bangkok and his team have also had discussions with SSI since the announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: During August 2010 the Department made the following payments to its suppliers:
	
		
			  Time Period  Number paid  Percentage 
			 Within 30 days of the date of the invoice date 1,714 79.6 
			 Between 31 and 60 days of the invoice date 203 9.4 
			 Between 61 days and 90 days of the invoice date 64 3.0 
			 Over 90 days of the date of the invoice 171 7.9 
		
	
	However, the above figures do not take into account those invoices that were placed in dispute, those invoices that were submitted to the wrong address or those that were post dated.
	For information, the Department measures its prompt payment from the date a valid invoice is received at its nominated address. Using this measurement, the Department paid 99.6% of invoices within 30 days and 93.9% were paid within five working days.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	Information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 3 September 2010, UIN 13933 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	In 2009/10, the latest period for which figures are available, Companies House made 9,906 payments to suppliers within 30 days of the date of the invoice and 48 payments after 30 days of the date of the invoice. Of these, 37 were as a result of disputes. No payments would be over 60 days old.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 9 September 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary question tabled on 3 September 2010 (UIN 13933). To ask the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many payments to suppliers were made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010 and the figures are detailed overleaf from Period 1 to Period 5 - 1 April 2010 to 31 August 2010.
	
		
			  Payment of suppliers  Number of invoices paid  Percentage of invoices paid 
			 Within 30 days 4,941 88.39 
			 Over 30 and under 60 days 503 9.00 
			 Over 60 and under 90 days 97 1.74 
			 Over 90 days 49 0.87 
		
	
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 September 2010:
	The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how many payments to suppliers were made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.
	The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills made the following payments to suppliers in the period April to August 2010:
	(i) 10,371 within 30 days;
	(ii) 84 payments over 30 days;
	(iii) 8 payments over 60 days and
	(iv) 4 payments over 90 days
	after the date of invoice.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 20 September 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 3 September 2010, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many payments to suppliers were made (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.
	Between April 2009 and March 2010, the Agency made a total of 1,906 payments to suppliers of which:
	(i) 1,885 payments were made within 30 days of receiving an invoice which was correctly rendered,
	(ii) 21 payments took over 30 days to process,
	(iii) No payments were made where an invoice was over 60 days old and
	(iv) No payments were made where an invoice was over 90 days old.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 24 September 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 07 September 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office has analysed the above in the following ways. The first column is invoice paid in the period within 30 days of the invoice date. The second column shows all the invoices paid more than 30 days after the invoice date (including invoices more than 60 and 90 days over). The third column shows all the invoices paid more than 60 days after the invoice date (including invoices more than 90 days over). The fourth column shows all invoices paid more than 90 days over.
	The Office's target to pay invoices within 10 working days is reported in the annual report and accounts which is published on our website:
	http://www.ipo.gov.uk/about-anrep0910.pdf
	
		
			  Supplier invoices  Paid within 30 days  Paid over 30 days  Paid over 60 days  Paid over 90 days 
			 September 2009 to August 2010 4,663 347 124 77 
		
	
	We paid 89% of invoices within 10 days in financial year 2009/10.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Edward Davey: During August 2010, the Department made 4,223 payments of which 4,190 were made electronically and 33 were made by payable order.
	During this period, the average cost of processing an invoice was £4.29. This includes direct staff costs and an apportionment for overheads.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's Chief Scientific Officer since 6 May 2010.

Edward Davey: Since 6 May, the chief scientific adviser in BIS, Professor Brian Collins, has met substantively with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade once, and the Minister for Universities and Science four times.

Departmental Contracts

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an estimate of the monetary value of the contracts between his Department and private sector companies which will be cancelled under his Department's planned spending reductions.

Edward Davey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Gordon Banks) on 7 September 2010,  Official Report, column 430W.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Edward Davey: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Central records indicate that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has spent £1,428,752 on consultancy from 1 May to 30 September. This information is taken from a system which does not break the expenditure down by company.
	 (b) Central records indicate that no new contracts have been awarded to any IT companies since 7 May 2010.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Edward Davey: This Department does not own any buildings or land. It is all leasehold.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in the Department in each of the last three years.

Edward Davey: The amounts spent on ministerial hospitality are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2007-08 17,194.12 
			 2008-09 11,784.10 
			 2009-10 16,480.89 
		
	
	The above costs principally relate to conferences and receptions for key stakeholders.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

Edward Davey: £221.39 in total for July 2010.

Departmental Pay

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what average hourly rate his Department has paid to each employment agency for agency staff in each year since its inception.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has framework agreements with Adecco and Brook Street. The average is calculated using inner London charge rates based on the grades employed through each of these agencies in 2009-10:
	Adecco: £15.59
	Brook Street: £14.84.
	To establish this information for other agencies used by BIS would be disproportionately expensive to obtain.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was created in June 2009.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since its inception.

Edward Davey: Expenditure on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines is not separately itemised in the Department's accounting system, and the details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the spending review.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will ensure the relevant equality considerations are taken in to account in the context of expenditure under consideration in the spending review, in compliance with our obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not appointed any staff on secondment since 7 May 2010.

Departmental Temporary Employment

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many employees on temporary contracts  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies,  (c) its non-Ministerial department and  (d) its non-departmental public bodies had on the latest date for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: The number of full-time equivalent employees on temporary contracts on 30 June 2010 in BIS was 200.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	Information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones , dated 5 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 30 June 2010, UIN 5932 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	As of 7 July, Companies House has eleven employees on temporary contracts.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell , dated 5 July 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 30 June 2010 (UIN 5932), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning the number of employees on temporary contracts in the Department and its agencies.
	As of 1 July 2010, the Skills Funding Agency had four temporary workers.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 5 July 2010 :
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 30/06/2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office has 1 person employed on contract that is due to finish on 22 July and will not be extended.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 19 July 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 30 June 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many employees were on temporary contracts on the latest date for which figures are available.
	As of today's date, NMO does not have any employees on temporary contracts. We have one vacancy currently being covered by an agency staff worker, who is an employee of that employment agency, not NMO.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3 July 2010:
	The Minister of State, for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has asked me to reply to your question how many employees on temporary contracts (a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-Ministerial department and (d) its non-departmental public bodies had on the latest date for which figures are available.
	The Insolvency Service currently employs 412 temporary staff.

Employment Agency

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the running costs of the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate were in each of the last five years.

Edward Davey: The running costs for Employment Agency Standards in each of the last five years were:
	
		
			  Financial year  Running costs (£) 
			 2005/06 427,967 
			 2006/07 485,435 
			 2007/08 507,220 
			 2008/09 985,457 
			 2009/10 1,072,608

Employment Schemes

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of continuing the Job Guarantee scheme.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
	Any estimate of the cost of the jobseeker's guarantee was always subject to review as part of the spending review process to ensure good value for money. The cancellation of the scheme announced on 17 June was therefore not to save money. Rather, funding was never allocated to the jobseeker's guarantee in the first place.

Extractive Industries: Disclosure of Information

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the introduction of a requirement for stock exchanges within the EU that all extractive companies listed disclose all payments to foreign Governments; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the merits of the introduction of a country-by-country reporting standard of the type proposed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB); what recent discussions he has had with the IASB on the matter; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if his Department will make an assessment of the effect on the UK extractive industry of the provisions of the US Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 on disclosure of payments made to foreign governments; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had any discussions with his European counterparts about the disclosure of payments to foreign governments by the extractive industries.
	The Secretary of State has noted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 on disclosure of payments made to foreign governments, but also notes that both the IASB and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are both investigating international approaches to this kind of disclosure.
	The IASB is an independent standard setter for global accounting standards. The UK Government have not engaged in any discussions about the specific content of accounting standards with IASB. There has been extensive engagement by UK stakeholders directly with the IASB on this issue.
	The Government will consider action when they see the outcomes of these investigations, but note that international approaches are likely to work better than any national approach.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Public Consultation

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what projects on public attitudes to genetically-modified crops, food and feed have been funded by the  (a) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council,  (b) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council,  (c) Medical Research Council and  (d) Science and Technology Facilities Council since 1997; what the (i) topic, (ii) start date, (iii) cost and (iv) project code was of each such project; who the main contractor was in each case; and which such projects have been completed.

David Willetts: Some of BBSRC's public engagement activities since 1997 have included consideration of GM technologies, some of which  (a) explicitly invited public views while others  (b) were focused more on communication and raising awareness.
	 (a) BBSRC's public engagement activities which have included consideration of GM technologies and explicitly invited public views:
	A co-sponsor of 'Future foods' exhibit at the Science Museum from November 1997 to March 1998
	Interactive exhibition launched at the 1998 Royal show on GM that provided a focus for people to consider the issues and record their opinions
	A display at the 1999 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition that invited discussion on GM crops and their uses
	Public consultation (with NERC) on gene flow in plants and micro-organisms in 2000
	In 2000 BBSRC commissioned a short study of attitudes to GM bioremediation that made use of a novel tool, the Ethical Matrix.
	In 2001 BBSRC hosted a web-based tool that explored hypothetical novel foods as part of a Foresight Food Chain and Crops Industry Panel initiative
	In 2003 BBSRC held a consultation on the future direction of crop science research
	The recent synthetic biology dialogue, published in June 2010 covered public views on agri-environmental science as one part of a workshop that explore views around science and technology generically. A later workshop with in the synthetic biology dialogue explored food and crop applications of synthetic biology.
	 (b) BBSRC's public engagement activities which have included consideration of GM technologies and were focused more on communication and raising awareness:
	In 1999 BBSRC published two discussion documents on issues surrounding the use of GM in agriculture
	In 1999 BBSRC supported an BA and Royal Society of Edinburgh forum that debated GM foods
	In 2001 BBSRC supported a public evening meeting that accompanied the EUCARPIA XVI congress in Edinburgh, the meeting covered issues surrounding plant biotechnology
	A panel discussion on future renewable bio-energy, including artificial photosynthesis in 2007
	BBSRC has also supported its funded researchers through a small grants scheme to engage with the public, some of these grants have been used to discuss issues around GM, for instance: a 1998 discussion meeting on GM with the National Federation of Women's Institutes; a 2003 series of schools debates on 'genetic futures'; and a 2005 public discussion in Plymouth on GM.
	None of these Research Councils have funded a separate research project specifically into public attitudes on GM since 1997. However, under the previous Government, the Food Standards Agency was asked by Ministers to carry out a public dialogue project looking at Food - the use of GM. The Government have recently announced that this dialogue will not continue in its current format. The details of the Government's policy on the use of GM technology in food and agriculture are still being determined, but all policies will be based on robust evidence. Developing effective and appropriate public engagement will need to be an element of this.

Higher Education

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure  (a) Greenwich University and  (b) other former polytechnics retain university status.

David Willetts: The Department has no plans to remove university title from any institution in the higher education sector.

Higher Education: Mature Students

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of mature students who did not complete a higher education course in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Willetts: Estimates of the number of students who do not complete a higher education course are not available by age group. Non-continuation data, which show the number of entrants not continuing in higher education after their first year, are available by age group and are provided here as an alternative.
	In the 2007/08 academic year there were 70,440 UK-domiciled mature entrants (aged 21 and over) to full-time first degree courses at higher education institutions in the UK. Of these entrants 9,875 (14.0%) did not continue in higher education after their first year. In the same academic year there were 31,550 UK-domiciled mature entrants to full-time other undergraduate courses (includes foundation degrees, diplomas and certificates) at higher education institutions in the UK. Of these entrants 4,620 (14.6%) did not continue in higher education after their first year.
	This is the latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Performance Indicators in Higher Education: more information can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/category/2/32/141/
	Non-completion and non-continuation data for postgraduate students are not provided in the HESA Performance Indicators in Higher Education.

Innovation

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage businesses that develop new technologies to remain in the UK.

David Willetts: This Department sponsors the Technology Strategy Board, which operates across all important sectors of the UK economy, ranging from the creative industries to high value manufacturing, but focusing on those opportunities which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity.
	The Technology Strategy Board provides funding opportunities (with support from other Government funders) to enable UK-based business and research communities to work together on collaborative R&D projects from which successful new products, processes and services can emerge. Over 900 projects are currently being supported with a combined business and Government investment of over £1 billion (with just over half the funds committed by business).
	This Department similarly sponsors the grant for R&D (GRD), which is designed to increase business spend on innovation, including R&D, leading to an increase in the proportion of firms that innovate so that they can increase productivity and profitability. Businesses receiving funding must comply with strict rules on manufacture of products. The company shall not, without prior written consent, manufacture or permit the manufacture of articles incorporating the results of work done with the aid of this grant outside the European economic area for a period starting from the date of the offer letter and ending five years after the date on which final payment is made.
	This Department is also considering the recommendations from Sir James Dyson's Report "Ingenious Britain" and will consult with business this autumn. This will include a review of the taxation of intellectual property and the support that R&D tax credits provide for innovation. This Department is similarly considering options for the future delivery of its 'Solutions for Business' portfolio of business support within the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.
	Also, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) does much to help businesses invest and locate in the UK and grow internationally. They do this through impartial advice-information related to funding, financing, staffing and operations; introductions to professional advisers and key contacts; access, through its partnership programmes, to a range of possible business partners and professional service organisations; practical help on the ground, including visits to suitable locations, finding business partners and accessing financial incentives; as well as an aftercare service, including advice on maximising investment in the UK, through domestic and international expansion.

Insolvency Service: Manpower

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many insolvency investigators were employed by the Insolvency Service in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and whether he expects any such investigators to be made redundant as a result of his Department's planned spending reductions.

Edward Davey: The Insolvency Service employs insolvency examiners who, among their various duties, investigate the causes of failure in bankruptcy and compulsory company liquidation cases. In addition, The Insolvency Service employs staff within its Investigation and Enforcement Services (IES) Directorate whose job it is to consider reports received from licensed insolvency practitioners in respect of the conduct of directors of companies in non-compulsory insolvency procedures and complaints about live companies and to investigate and take action where it is appropriate in the public interest.
	The number of Insolvency Service staff who would undertake these duties (among other things) in each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			  (a) 2010 757 
			  (b) 2009 714 
			  (c) 2008 696 
		
	
	There are currently no plans for staff redundancies.

Internet: Regulation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 371W, on internet regulation, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require internet providers to divulge the contact details of persons who leave derogatory or insulting comments about others on internet sites; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are not proposing to bring forward legislative proposals that would require internet service providers (ISPs) to reveal the contact details of persons who might have left derogatory or insulting remarks about others on internet sites.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the set up costs associated with implementing the Government's proposals for local enterprise partnerships.

Mark Prisk: In total the Government received 59 outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships in response to the joint letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dated 29 June. Proposals have been developed at local levels by partnerships of local authorities, businesses and other relevant bodies.
	Ministers are considering these proposals in detail, looking at how they will support economic growth, before providing feedback to partnerships.
	More detail on local enterprise partnerships, including funding issues, will be set out in the White Paper on sub-national economic growth following the spending review.

Lord Sugar

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what resources his Department provided to assist Lord Sugar in his role as Government Enterprise Champion; and how many days Lord Sugar spent on official duties in this role.

Mark Prisk: The Department did not provide resources to Lord Sugar. The position of Government Enterprise Champion was unpaid and Lord Sugar neither claimed nor received any expenses. Support for his work was provided by civil servants, primarily those responsible for enterprise, as part of their normal day-to-day responsibilities. His time in the role was spent working in the Department, on visits, meeting businesses and working remotely. He was in continuous, near daily, communication throughout the period of his appointment.

Manufacturing Advisory Service

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse was of the free helpline provided by his Department's Manufacturing Advisory Service in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many businesses used the free helpline provided by the Manufacturing Advisory Service in  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10;
	(3)  how much the Manufacturing Advisory Service spent on subsidised consultancy support for small and medium-sized enterprises in  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10; and how many businesses used that support service in each such year.

Mark Prisk: The helpline for the Manufacturing Advisory Service is part of the wider inquiry service which includes e-mail inquiries and phone calls. These range from straightforward questions dealt with in a few minutes to more significant issues that require small pieces of research to support the manufacturer.
	The total cost of the inquiry service in 2009/10 was £590,000 including all staff and equipment costs.
	The number of businesses using the inquiry service is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of businesses using inquiry service 
			 2007/08 (1)20,141 
			 2008/09 11,148 
			 2009/10 18,270 
			 (1) Includes website. 
		
	
	The number of businesses and the total cost of subsidised consultancy support is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of subsidised consultancy projects  Total cost (£)  Client contribution (£)  Cost to MAS (£) 
			 2007/08 2,326 7,500,000 3,750,000 3,750,000 
			 2008/09 2,526 8,280,000 4,140,000 4,140,000 
			 2009/10 2,443 7,700,000 3,890,000 3,890,000

Multinational Companies: Company Accounts

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to implement country-by-country reporting for multi-national companies based in the UK.

Edward Davey: The Government will consider action when they see the outcomes from the international work currently under way by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Accounting Standards Board. The Government support this work and await the outcome with interest.

Overseas Students: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students resident in the London Borough of Bexley are registered as international students for tuition fee purposes due to their immigration status.

David Willetts: The information requested is not available.

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will review the processes of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in order to reduce the burden of administration for academics and university departments, whilst ensuring the effectiveness of those processes.

David Willetts: Significant work is under way across the higher education sector to strengthen future quality assurance arrangements. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) launched on 1 October a consultation on a new method for reviewing higher education institutions in England and Northern Ireland from September 2011. The proposed new process is intended to encourage constant improvement in the quality of UK higher education while being proportionate in its demand on resources in institutions. The detail of this work is rightly led by the sector but the Government have a legitimate interest, particularly in respect of ensuring value for money for all public spending, and is keeping in close touch with the QAA and others across the sector on this agenda.

Regional Development Agencies

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department plans to bring forward primary legislation to  (a) abolish regional development agencies and  (b) establish local economic partnerships.

Mark Prisk: Primary legislation will be required to abolish regional development agencies. Local enterprise partnerships will differ across the country in order to best meet local circumstances and opportunities. The Government are considering whether it will be necessary to introduce legislation to create local enterprise partnerships.

Regional Growth Fund

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what bidding process for funds from the Regional Growth Fund will apply in each region.

Mark Prisk: The Government published a consultation paper on 23 July seeking views on the design of the fund. The paper set out the objectives of the Regional Growth Fund, put forward proposals on the fund's design to meet those objectives and posed questions on aspects of the fund where Government sought input, including the bidding process.
	The consultation closed on 6 September and consideration is now being given to the detail of the operation of the Growth Fund. This will then be set out in the White Paper on sub-national growth, due to be published in the autumn.

Regional Growth Fund

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consultation he has undertaken with local authorities on the bidding process for the Regional Growth Fund.

Mark Prisk: The Government published a consultation on the Regional Growth Fund on 23 July, seeking views on how the fund should be designed.
	By the time the consultation closed on 6 September, around 340 responses had been received in total. Over 100 of these were from local authorities, bodies that represent groups of local authorities, existing multi-area agreement partnerships and prospective local enterprise partnerships that include local authorities.

Regional Growth Fund

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the methodology his Department will employ in allocating monies from the Regional Growth Fund will take into account economic and social inequalities within regions; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Government published a consultation on the Regional Growth Fund, seeking views on how the fund should be designed. The consultation closed on 6 September and the responses received are now being considered with a view to publishing further information on the design and implementation of the Regional Growth Fund as part of the White Paper on sub-national growth, expected later in the autumn.

Research: Finance

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research and development grants his Department provides to innovative small businesses; and what arrangements his Department plans to make for access to such grants after the ending of the South East of England Development Agency.

David Willetts: The Government's current 'Solutions for Business' portfolio of business support products includes the Grant for Research and Development, which provides grants of up to £500,000 to support businesses in developing new technological products and processes, and Innovation Vouchers, which range from £3,000 to £10,000 and can be used by small businesses to support their collaboration with research institutions.
	The Government are currently considering options for the future delivery of these products within the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.

Research: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to support research and development activity in the UK.

David Willetts: The coalition agreement makes it clear that we are committed to working with universities, research councils and business to enhance the effectiveness of the innovation system to support successful UK innovation. We are considering the recommendations from Sir James Dyson's Report 'Ingenious Britain' including refocusing the R&D Tax Credit on high tech, small firms and start ups and will consult with business in the autumn.
	The Research Councils, Universities and the Technology Strategy Board support research and development activity across all the important sectors of the UK and with those that offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity.

Research: Finance

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the monetary value of Government funding allocated to scientific research projects undertaken at each institution in each Research Assessment Exercise category in each region in 2009-10.

David Willetts: Quality-related research funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is awarded formulaically to English institutions on the basis of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). This funding also provides incentives for working with businesses and charities, and for supervising young researchers. Full details of HEFCE's research grant funding to individual English institutions for 2009-10 and 2010-11 can be found at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/funding/
	The Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) publishes data annually on the research income received by individual higher education institutions from the Funding Councils, Research Councils and from a range of other public and private sources. The latest available data are for 2008-09:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/

Road Works: Compensation

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if his Department will take steps to  (a) simplify and  (b) standardise the current system to compensate businesses for the impact of local utilities work;
	(2)  if his Department will consider the merits of altering the current compensation payment available to businesses payable as a result of the impact of local utilities work, so that utilities companies are required to take into account seasonal business trends as well as general business trends.

Norman Baker: I have been asked to reply 
	with reference to the impact of utility companies' works carried out in the public highway.
	The Department for Transport has received no recent representations proposing changes to existing compensation arrangements, and has no current plans to review or reform them. We are however reviewing the operation of street works with a view to lessening their duration, consistent with safety, and hence their impact on road works.

Royal Mail

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what environmental impact assessments have been undertaken for the proposed Royal Mail sorting office reorganisation, with particular reference to its likely effects on  (a) vehicle mileage travelled by employees during working hours,  (b) mileage travelled by employees on their journeys to and from work and  (c) the outsourcing of downstream contracts.

Edward Davey: The Royal Mail always considers the environmental impacts of any operational changes it plans to make before reaching a final decision and takes responsibility for reducing its impact on the environment and preparing for environmental changes in the future. This includes working with its people, customers and suppliers in doing the same.
	The issue the hon. Member has raised is an operational matter for the company's senior management team. I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene, to respond directly to him and a copy of the reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Royal Mail

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of Royal Mail's universal service obligation; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The coalition Government are committed to the universal postal service and this will be at the heart of the legislation we are bringing forward shortly. Our firm intention is to maintain the universal service at its current levels, and the same price, same service everywhere principle will remain. We will not allow a situation where the level of the universal service for Inverness is not the same as that received in Bolton or London.

Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings Ministers in his Department and its predecessors had with representatives of trade unions in each month since May 1997; which unions Ministers met; what discussions took place on each occasion; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Meetings Ministers have had with representatives of trade unions since 12 May are as follows:
	
		
			  Minister  Date  Meeting with  Purpose of meeting 
			 Vince Cable 7 June 2010 Communication Workers Union Introductory meeting 
			 Vince Cable 14 June 2010 Trades Union Congress Introductory meeting 
			 Vince Cable 25 August 2010 Trades Union Congress Regular meeting 
			 
			 David Willetts 21 June 2010 National Union of Students To discuss Higher Education 
			 David Willetts 5 July 2010 Universities and Colleges Employers Association To discuss Higher Education 
			 David Willetts 21 July 2010 University and College Union To discuss Higher Education 
			 David Willetts 30 September 2010 National Union of Students To discuss Higher Education 
			 
			 Mark Prisk 27 July 2010 Trades Union Congress To discuss Regional Development Agencies 
			 
			 John Hayes 6 July 2010 Association of teachers and lecturers Introductory meeting 
			 John Hayes 15 July 2010 Universities and colleges union Introductory meeting 
			 
			 Edward Davey 7 June 2010 Communication Workers Union Introductory meeting 
			 Edward Davey 8 June 2010 National Federation of Sub Postmasters Introductory meeting 
			 Edward Davey 14 June 2010 Trades Union Congress Introductory meeting 
			 Edward Davey 7 July 2010 Trades Union Congress Regular meeting 
			 Edward Davey 13 July 2010 Postbank Coalition Introductory meeting 
			 Edward Davey 20 July 2010 National Federation of Sub Postmasters To discuss postal affairs 
			 Edward Davey 20 July 2010 National Farmers Union To discuss consumer issues 
			 Edward Davey 3 August 2010 Communication Workers Union To discuss postal affairs 
			 Edward Davey 9 September 2010 Communication Workers Union To discuss postal affairs 
		
	
	This information will be published on the BIS public website in accordance with Cabinet Office instruction. Details of meetings with external organisations have been published on the BIS public website since October 2009 and continue to be published quarterly. All information prior to this date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

UK Trade and Investment: Aviation

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the cost to the public purse was of travel using private planes by UK international trade representatives in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills incurred no cost for 'UK International Trade Representatives' using private planes in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Age Verification

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to implement the age verification proposals contained in the 2010 mandatory code for alcohol retailers.

James Brokenshire: The age verification proposals contained in the 2010 mandatory code for alcohol retailers came into force on 1 October 2010.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to the merits of establishing a minimum price per alcohol unit for the retail sale of alcohol.

James Brokenshire: The Government are currently conducting a review of alcohol taxation and pricing, which is being jointly led by the Home Office and HM Treasury. The review is expected to conclude in late autumn, and we are unable to pre-empt the results of this review.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues on the implications of competition law for a policy to set a minimum price for a unit of alcohol.

James Brokenshire: The Government are currently conducting a review of alcohol taxation and pricing, which is being jointly led by the Home Office and HM Treasury. The review is expected to conclude in late autumn.

Antisocial Behaviour

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals for a national guarantee for  (a) swift police force responses to complaints of antisocial behaviour and  (b) stronger enforcement of antisocial behaviour orders.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 September 2010
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a review of antisocial behaviour on 28 July. We will come forward with proposals in due course.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her speech at the Coin Street Community Centre on 28 July 2010, what the evidential basis was for her statement that young people regard an antisocial behaviour order as a badge of honour.

Theresa May: Research carried out by the Youth Justice Board into antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) in 2006 found that:
	"ASBOs functioned as a 'badge of honour', rather than addressing the causes of the behaviour".

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with police officers and professional bodies on the impact that antisocial behaviour orders have had on anti-social behaviour since their introduction.

Theresa May: holding answer 9 September 2010
	Home Office officials are in constant dialogue with police and other professional bodies about a wide range of issues related to antisocial behaviour, including the effectiveness of tools and powers such as the antisocial behaviour order.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Cannock Chase

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were  (a) issued and  (b) breached in Cannock Chase constituency in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: The latest available data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued and breached covers the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2008. Data collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the number of ASBOs issued and breached are not available below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Kent

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been  (a) granted and  (b) breached in Kent and Medway in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued in the Kent Criminal Justice System (CJS) area and the number proved in court to have been breached in the Kent CJS area, in each year between 2004 and 2008 (latest currently available), are shown in the table.
	Figures for Medway are unavailable as data collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice on ASBOs are not available below CJS area level.
	
		
			  The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued all courts( 1 ) and the number proved in court to have been breached( 2)  in the Kent Criminal Justice System (CJS) area, 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2008 
			  CJS area  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Kent  
			 Issued 54 44 29 26 13 
			 Breached 5 6 8 11 16 
			 (1) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999 and ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown court and at magistrates courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which became available on 2 December 2002. Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, numbers of ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service.  (2) Breach data from the magistrates court administrative systems in Kent are known to have been under-reported. ASBOs may be breached more than once and in more than one year. In this table ASBOs are counted once only within the period when they were first breached. Many of these breaches will be as a result of an ASBO that was issued in an earlier year. ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. For these reasons breach rates cannot be computed from the figures presented in this table. Breaches are counted in this table by area of issue.   Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice.

Asylum

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from which countries have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom in the last five years.

Damian Green: The accompanying table shows the number of asylum applications received in the United Kingdom by principal applicants, by country of nationality in the last five years. The figures for 2009 are provisional.
	Information on asylum is published annually and quarterly. Annual figures on principal asylum applications, by nationality, for the years 2000-09 are available in Table 2a of the supplementary tables that accompany the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom, 2009 bulletin. Latest quarterly figures on principal applications are also available in Table 2a for Quarter two 2010 that accompany the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, April to June 2010.
	Both bulletins are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate web site at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Applications( 1)  received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by country of nationality, 2000-09 
			   Number of principal applicants 
			  Country of nationality  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009( 2) 
			 Albania 175 155 165 160 210 
			 Macedonia 5 * 25 * 5 
			 Moldova 115 45 30 20 15 
			 Russia 130 115 80 50 65 
			 Serbia and Montenegro(4) 155 70 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Turkey 755 425 210 195 185 
			 Ukraine 55 50 40 30 50 
			 EU Accession States(3) 130 95 25 5 15 
			 Other Former USSR 265 220 155 180 145 
			 Other Europe(4) 30 35 95 95 45 
			  Total Europe 1,810 1,210 825 740 735 
			   
			 Colombia 70 60 30 25 20 
			 Ecuador 10 15 10 15 5 
			 Jamaica 325 215 240 240 200 
			 Other Americas 100 95 115 130 140 
			  Total Americas 505 385 390 405 365 
			   
			 Algeria 255 225 260 345 235 
			 Angola 145 95 95 80 45 
			 Burundi 90 35 25 15 20 
			 Cameroon 290 260 160 115 90 
			 Congo 65 45 25 25 35 
			 Dem. Rep. of Congo 1,080 570 370 335 205 
			 Eritrea 1,760 2,585 1,810 2,255 1,350 
			 Ethiopia 385 200 90 130 105 
			 Gambia 90 110 100 125 210 
			 Ghana 230 130 120 140 140 
			 Ivory Coast 210 170 100 70 50 
			 Kenya 100 95 115 150 100 
			 Liberia 175 50 40 20 15 
			 Libya 125 90 45 45 70 
			 Nigeria 1,025 790 780 820 680 
			 Rwanda 40 20 25 20 25 
			 Sierra Leone 135 125 85 55 80 
			 Somalia 1,760 1,845 1,615 1,345 930 
			 Sudan 885 670 330 265 215 
			 Tanzania 20 15 20 25 35 
			 Uganda 205 165 130 130 155 
			 Zimbabwe 1,075 1,650 1,800 3,165 5,600 
			 Other Africa 735 555 510 600 765 
			  Total Africa 10,885 10,500 8,630 10,270 11,160 
			   
			 Iran 3,150 2,375 2,210 2,270 1,835 
			 Iraq 1,415 945 1,825 1,850 845 
			 Syria 330 160 155 140  
			 Other Middle East 595 660 755 620 465 
			  Total Middle East 5,490 4,140 4,940 4,895 3,285 
			   
			 Afghanistan 1,580 2,400 2,500 3,505 3,330 
			 Bangladesh 425 440 540 455 440 
			 China (inc. Taiwan) 1,730 1,945 2,100 1,400 1,185 
			 India 940 680 510 715 615 
			 Pakistan 1,145 965 1,030 1,230 1,300 
			 Sri Lanka 395 525 990 1,475 1,115 
			 Vietnam 380 90 165 230 465 
			 Other Asia and Oceania 320 270 740 535 380 
			  Total Asia and Oceania 6,915 7,315 8,570 9,550 8,839 
			   
			 Other and not known 105 55 75 75 110 
			 Grand Total 25,710 23,610 23,430 25,930 24,485 
			 n/a = Not applicable (1) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (- = 0, *= 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (2 )Provisional figures (3) Serbia (inc. Kosovo) and Montenegro counted under "Other Europe" from 2007. (4) EU Accession States: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Figures in 2000 exclude Malta but include Cyprus (Northern part of).

Asylum: Deportation

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 35W, on asylum: deportation, how much the UK Border Agency has spent on cancellation fees in respect of  (a) scheduled and  (b) chartered flights in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The amount spent on cancellation fees for removals using scheduled flights from the United Kingdom (UK) in the last 12 months (commencing from l September 2009 until 31 August 2010) is not readily available. Since May our service providers have been contractually obliged to produce management information on cancellation costs. As such we are able to provide costs from May 10 to August 10 (see table). However to calculate the amount spent on cancellation fees for removals from the United Kingdom using scheduled flights prior to May 10 would require detailed analysis of management information captured and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Departures in month  Cancellation costs (£) 
			  2010  
			 May 18,243.10 
			 June 21,980.00 
			 July 40,319.00 
			 August 18,204.00 
			 Total costs 98,746.10 
			  Note: All figures given are internal management information and subject to change. They have not yet been fully accounted or reconciled. 
		
	
	UKBA also spent £291,826.00 on cancellation fees as part of our contractual obligations for cancelled charter flights.

Asylum: Evictions

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been evicted from their homes in Leeds North West constituency before being deported from the UK in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: No failed asylum seekers have been evicted from their homes in Leeds North West before being deported from the UK in the last 12 months.

Community Safety Partnerships

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for future funding of community safety partnerships.

Nick Herbert: Future funding for community safety work will be decided as part of the Government's spending review, which will be published on 20 October 2010. We cannot speculate on the outcome of that review before it is finalised, except to be clear that the Government's priority is to cut the deficit and get the economy moving again.
	In the consultation document 'Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People', the Government announced that they were considering giving police and crime commissioners a role in commissioning community safety work. This will also be subject to the outcome of the spending review, as well as the consultation.

Community Safety Partnerships

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the future of community safety partnerships (CSPs); and what recent assessment she has made of the value for money of CSPs.

Nick Herbert: Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) and other local partnerships have played a strong role in preventing crime and we want them to continue to do so. In order to free local partners from central bureaucracy we are considering whether we can repeal some of the more prescriptive elements of CSP regulations. In addition, the new Police and Crime Commissioners will be enabled to play a considerable role in relation to community safety, and the Government are currently consulting publicly on how Commissioners can best work with criminal justice and community safety partners.
	We have recently considered the available international evidence of the effectiveness of partnership working in a crime and disorder context and concluded that it supports the general principle that collaborative working between partners is more effective in reducing and preventing crime than agencies working alone; there is also some evidence that working in partnership has the potential to create efficiency savings by reducing duplication and fragmentation of services.

Counter-terrorism

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the statement of 13 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 797-98, on counter-terrorism and security powers, when she expects to announce the membership of the team conducting her Department's review of counter-terrorism and security powers.

Nick Herbert: As set out in the Terms of Reference for the review, which were placed in both House Libraries on 23 July 2010, the review is being conducted by the Office of Security and Counter-Terrorism in the Home Office with the full involvement of the police, the security and intelligence agencies, the Crown Prosecution Service and other Government Departments including those in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Independent oversight of the review will be provided by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven who will ensure that the review is properly conducted, that all the relevant options have been considered and that the recommendations of the review are fair and balanced.

Counter-terrorism: Powers

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to ensure the proportionate use by public authorities of powers available to them under anti-terrorism legislation.

Nick Herbert: The Government are committed to ensuring that there are safeguards within the legislation to prevent the misuse of counter-terrorism and security legislation.
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a review of counter terrorism and security powers and measures on 13 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 797-809. The purpose of the review is to look at the balance between security and civil liberties in relation to the most sensitive and controversial powers and, consistent with protecting the public and where possible, to reduce the powers assumed by the state.

Crime

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account the review of the British Crime Survey will take of recent trends in official crime statistics.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 September 2010
	The recent trends in official crime statistics will not form part of the review. It will consider the coverage, publication and governance of all Home Office crime statistics including the British Crime Survey.

Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the requirements under the Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009 for the designated scrutiny committees to meet with responsible authorities in connection with the discharge of their crime and disorder functions at least once a year will apply to GP consortia.

Nick Herbert: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are currently one of the six responsible authorities which comprise Community Safety Partnerships; collectively the partners have a statutory duty to develop and implement strategies to reduce crime and disorder, and to reduce reoffending. The work of Community Safety Partnerships is subject to formal scrutiny under provisions in the Police and Justice Act 2006 (supplemented by the Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009). The NHS White paper 'Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS', which was published in July 2010, announced the abolition of PCTs and the creation of GP consortia and other new arrangements. The legislation governing CSPs will be updated in accordance with any changes that take place.

Crime and Security Act 2010

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to make commencement orders in relation to the Crime and Security Act 2010.

Theresa May: The Home Office is reviewing legislation that has yet to be commenced, including the Crime and Security Act 2010. A decision will be made on commencement of the Act in due course.

Crime Prevention

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with  (a) police forces and  (b) professional bodies on her plans to encourage active citizens to become community crime fighters;
	(2)  pursuant to chapter 5 of her Department's consultation on policing in the 21st century, what plans she has to encourage active citizens to become community crime fighters; and what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing such proposals, with particular reference to the cost of  (a) mobilising activists,  (b) training,  (c) information,  (d) publicity and  (e) support.

Theresa May: The Government want to support the public to take a more active role in keeping neighbourhoods safe by working in partnership with the police. We have published a consultation document, "Policing in the 21st Century", setting out proposed national changes to policing. These include encouraging citizens to play their part through joint patrols with the police, looking out for their neighbours and passing on safety tips as part of Neighbourhood Watch groups or as community crime fighters. Officials have had discussions with police partners, community crime fighters and others to develop these ideas.
	Following the end of the consultation period on 20 September we will consider next steps, including any costs of implementation.

Crime: Offensive Weapons

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving  (a) knives and  (b) firearms were recorded in each postcode area in each London local authority in 2009-10.

James Brokenshire: Data on knife and firearms offences are collected by the Home Office at police force area level. They cannot be broken down to local authority or postcode area level.
	In 2009-10, 12,570 offences involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument were recorded by London police forces-12,560 by the Metropolitan police and 10 by City of London police.
	2009-10 data for police recorded firearms offences will be published in January 2011.

Criminal Records

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the average time taken for an organisation to obtain the results of Criminal Record Bureau checks; what steps she plans to take to reduce the time taken to undertake such checks; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 16 September 2010
	The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) was established under Part V of the Police Act 1997 and was launched in 2002. The service provided by the CRB enables organisations across England and Wales in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially roles that involve working with children and vulnerable adults.
	The performance of the CRB is measured against a number of Published Service Standards (PSS) which include to issue 95% of Standard CRB checks within 10 days and 90% of Enhanced CRB checks within 28 days.
	In the last period for which figures are available, August 2010, the number of days the CRB took on average to complete an Enhanced check is 27.7. This figure includes the data for Enhanced applications handled by the CRB where the data provided on the application form are complete and there is no requirement to write to the registered body for clarification of information.
	The average length of time taken to process a Standard certificate is unavailable as the data are not collated by the bureau. Standard applications represent only 4% of all applications received and the CRB are currently exceeding their PSS in relation to these checks, issuing 99.8% in 10 days.
	At present the CRB is issuing 88.2% of Enhanced certificates within the 28-day PSS. There can, however, be a number of factors that can affect the timely completion of CRB checks, including but not restricted to:
	the length of time it can take for an employer to deal with and submit the initial application;
	the accurate completion of the application form;
	the clarity of the information provided, and
	the existence of conviction or non-conviction information and the operational effectiveness of the disclosure units of the police forces involved in the CRB checking process.
	The CRB works very closely with the police in demand planning and addressing the problems associated with delays. It does this by:
	working with police forces on issues such as recruitment needs and lead-in times, retention of staff, IT systems and capacity, accommodation constraints and local force vacancies;
	where police forces get into difficulty the CRB support them in developing recovery plans to reduce the build up of work, and
	proactively manage and report performance on a weekly basis across all police forces
	Over the past 12 months the CRB has been working with forces to reduce the backlog of older cases.

Dentention Centres: Children

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to end the detention of children of asylum seekers; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Government are committed to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. I am having ongoing discussions with the UK Border Agency about how this can be achieved in a way which promotes the welfare of children while ensuring the return of families who have no right to be in the UK. Significant progress has been made and we are now piloting new approaches that involve options based on keeping families with children in the community. We are also continuing to work on alternative ways of securing the removal of those families who refuse to comply with our new approach.

Departmental Assets

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which former  (a) buildings and  (b) land owned by (i) her Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies and (B) agencies for which her Department is responsible have been sold since May 2005; what the sale price of each was at the time of sale; and to which body the funds from the sale accrued in each case.

Nick Herbert: Asset receipts shown in the accounts since May 2005 were:
	
		
			   Receipt (£) 
			  Home Office  
			 Horseferry House, London SW1 32,000,000 
			 House, Sedgefield, County Durham 40,000 
			   
			  NPIA  
			 Former Police Training Centre, Warrington, Cheshire 5,000,000 
			 Former Police Training Centre, Ashford, Kent 4,600,000 
		
	
	The Home Secretary's official residence at 62 South Eaton Place London SW1 was sold at close to the asking price of £4.0 million. The exact price is subject to a confidentiality agreement requested by the purchaser. In addition, two sites were transferred to the Ministry of Justice for potential prison use. Current values of the sites sold are not known. Receipts were retained by my Department.

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office processes its invoices through the Ministry of Justice Shared Service Centre.
	The average cost for 2009-10 (the latest full year figures available) was £6.98 per invoice. This was the cost of the Shared Service Centre teams directly involved with processing the invoice and their share of the overheads.
	The proportion of invoices paid electronically during 2009-10 was 98.48% and the proportion paid by cheque during 2009-10 was 1.52%. Those are the last full financial year data available.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by her Department was in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The Home Department's commercial objectives require consultancy services to be commissioned in terms of defined output, not in terms of individuals assigned by the firms in question.
	Using Buying Solution frameworks, the Department competes each requirement. The competition and any negotiation ensure that value for money is achieved. It does not therefore agree daily rates. The Department has maintained significant focus in this area in the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11, which has resulted in spend in this category reducing by 33% in Q1 this financial year 2010-11, compared to the same period in the last financial year.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the monetary value is of contracts her Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

James Brokenshire: The monetary value of each contract awarded by the Home Office to each  (a) management consultancy and each  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			   Supplier  Contract value (£) 
			  (a) Management consultancy NBPA 500 
			  (a) Management consultancy Nicolas Parker Ltd. 17,500 
			  (b) IT company Byg Systems 35,608 
			  (b) IT company Experiments 20,000

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many transport-related fines her Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each such year.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not available as Home Office systems for recording expenses do not specifically record transport-related fines.
	However, Home Office travel policy specifically mentions that financial penalties for motoring offences (including parking) are not reimbursable.

Departmental Furniture

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many chairs her Department has purchased in each year since 1997; how much it spent in each such year; and what the five most expensive chairs purchased in each such year were.

Nick Herbert: From available records, the following table lists the requested information for the Department's headquarters at 2 Marsham street. Earlier information is not available.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			   Number  £  Number  £  Number  £  Number  £  Number  £ 
			 Number and costs of chairs 412 112,249 49 20,293 8 4,019 4 2,468 68 27,017 
			
			 Five most expensive chairs (number purchased) 2 780 1 595 1 765 1 685 1 690 
			  1 774 4 431 1 694 1 684 2 675 
			  2 286   1 659 1 678 1 655 
			  1 427 1 423 1 652 
			  1 416 
		
	
	The additional chairs were generally purchased to enable additional staff to relocate to 2 Marsham street resulting in substantial cost savings from the disposal of other offices.
	The majority of the most expensive chairs were acquired following occupational health assessments recommending the provision of orthopaedic chairs to meet users' specific needs. This enables the Department to meet its duty of care to its staff and to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent under each budgetary heading by  (a) her Department and  (b) the UK Border Agency on hospitality in 2005-06.

Nick Herbert: Home Office expenditure on official hospitality and entertainment conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Managing Public Money and HM Treasury's Regularity and Propriety handbook.
	Hospitality is defined as the provision of food, drink and entertainment of non-civil servants where it is beneficial to the interests of the Department.
	The UK Border Agency came into existence as an executive agency of the Home Office on 1 April, 2009 and there are no recorded costs for the requested period.
	However, the Home Office spent £323,983 in 2005-06, of which £67,788 was incurred by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, that part of the Department whose roles and responsibilities were assumed by UK Border Agency.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in her Department in July 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office did not incur any relevant expenditure during July 2010.

Departmental Press

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.  [Official Report, 28 October 2010, Vol. 517, c. 7MC.]

Nick Herbert: The answer to this question is provided in the following table. It covers the period 1999-2009. Figures before 1999 are not available.
	This year we have been able to access more information that has enabled us to provide more details than we did in answering a similar question answered on 31 March 2010,  Official Report, columns 1075-76W.
	The figures from 2006 onwards are taken from a corporate framework agreement which gives improved value for money when compared to previous arrangements.
	This framework agreement includes figures for the UK Border Agency and it is not possible to separate out their expenditure from this figure. The other Executive agencies do not yet use this framework and so are not included.
	The figures provided reflect the functions with the Home Office during the listed years. Machinery of government changes and internal departmental restructuring has led to changes in the size and functions of the Department. As a consequence direct comparison year on year is very difficult.
	
		
			  Expenditure on newspapers and journals for period 1999-2010 
			   £ 
			 1999 13,086 
			 2000 14,676 
			 2001 24,981 
			 2002 23,359 
			 2003 26,734 
			 2004 41,056 
			 2005 42,277 
			 2006 116,237 
			 2007 102,277 
			 2008 80,190 
			 2009 63,479 
			 2010 37,745

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by her Department in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The Department's centrally controlled rent payments (rounded) for the last five years excluding agencies and PFI contracts, and split across London, Scotland and regions where properties are rented, were as follows:
	
		
			   £ million  £000 
			   Total  London  North West  South West  East Midlands  East of England  West Midlands  Scotland 
			 2005-06 6.4 6.0 0 42 279 0 18 51 
			 2006-07 6.1 5.8 0 42 279 0 18 51 
			 2007-08 6.3 5.130 647 42 327 69 18 51 
			 2008-09 6.4 5.130 647 42 410 69 18 51 
			 2009-10 6.5 5.3 647 42 410 69 18 51 
		
	
	London rents are expected to fall substantially in the next three years.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken in an official capacity by each Minister in her Department in (i) May 2010 and (ii) June 2010.

Nick Herbert: The total cost of travel incurred by the Home Department for the Home Secretary and other Home Office Ministers travelling in an official capacity is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Home Secretary  
			 May 2010 1,328 
			 June 2010 0 
			   
			  Home Office Ministers  
			 May 2010 18,127 
			 June 2010 54,060

Deportation: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 44W, on deportation: children, which holds and techniques have been used on children by  (a) staff in immigration detention centres and  (b) UK Border Agency escort providers since January 2009.

Damian Green: Further to my answer of 6 September 2010, officers are required to complete a report for any occasion where a detainee is restrained which must be passed to the relevant UK Border Agency contract monitor. The report requires officers to set out the circumstances of the situation and to justify why restraint was necessary. It does not, however, require them to stipulate the exact holds and techniques used and the information sought is therefore not recorded.

Deportation: Offenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign national prisoners  (a) were deported in 2009 and  (b) have been deported in 2010 to date.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency has published statistics that show:
	 (a) 5,530 foreign national prisoners were deported or removed from the UK in 2009.
	 (b) 1,225 foreign national prisoners were deported or removed in quarter 1 for 2010 and 1,200 in quarter 2 for 2010.
	These figures have been extracted from the 'Control of Immigration: UK Statistics' reports for 2009 and 2010, which can be accessed at:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Detention Centres: Children

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to page 21 of the coalition agreement, what steps she plans to take to end the detention of children for immigration purposes.

Damian Green: holding answer 14 September 2010
	The Government are committed to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. Our aim is to achieve this in a way which promotes the welfare of children while ensuring the return of families who have no right to be in the UK. Significant progress has been made and we are now piloting new approaches. We are also continuing to work on alternative ways of securing the removal of those families who refuse to comply with our new approach.

Detention Centres: Parents

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to ensure that parents in immigration detention are not separated from their children.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency has a policy of not separating children from both parents, or from one in the case of a single-parent family, for immigration purposes other than in exceptional cases.
	For example, there may be circumstances where a prisoner, who is also a parent, is released from prison and a decision is made to maintain their detention under immigration powers in order to effect their deportation. Such assessments are made on a case by case basis taking into account public and child protection concerns.
	However, family separations may occur for other reasons, such as for child protection purposes (which would be a matter for local authority children's services) or where the parent has chosen to split the family by deliberately hiding the whereabouts of their children. Where children are missing the UK Border Agency will work with other statutory agencies, such as the police and local authorities, to try to locate the children and reunite them with their parent.

DNA: Databases

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects on police time and resources of the move to the Scottish model of DNA retention as referred to in the coalition agreement.

Theresa May: Police time and resources will be taken into consideration as part of the policy development process and a full impact assessment will be published alongside the Freedom Bill when it is introduced.

Domestic Violence

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to assist victims of domestic violence.

Lynne Featherstone: We are currently working across Government to discuss the best approach to tackle violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and will be publishing a Strategy in the spring.
	We have already committed to the following;
	An extension to a Home Office pilot project for victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds until the end of March 2011 and a commitment to find a long-term funding solution to the issue.
	£3.5 million in 2010-11 to contribute to the funding of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers, Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences and some wider work to tackle violence against women.
	Funding contributions to a network of helplines in 2010-11.

Domestic Violence

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the effect on levels of domestic violence of halting the implementation of domestic violence protection orders;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with  (a) police forces,  (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers,  (c) the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,  (d) Women's Aid and  (e) other professional bodies on the effect of halting the implementation of domestic violence protection orders;
	(3)  what powers police forces have to protect women who report domestic violence in cases where there is insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges;
	(4)  what the estimated saving to the public purse is of her decision to halt the implementation of domestic violence protection orders.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 9 September 2010
	We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls. We have deferred, not halted, the pilot scheme of the domestic violence protection order (DVPO) so we could understand their potential impact better and be sure that they would work before committing public funds.
	We have had representations from a range of organisations and will keep the Association of Chief Police Officers and other partners involved in discussions about this. In the meantime the police and courts have a wide range of powers available to them to deal with domestic violence through the criminal justice process including the setting of bail conditions. Where there is insufficient evidence to bring civil charges a range of civil powers are available to the courts to protect victims, including non-molestation and occupation orders.
	The costs of implementing DVPOs across England and Wales would be impacted by a range of factors, including take-up, and it is not possible to accurately estimate these until a pilot has taken place and been evaluated. The estimated cost for piloting the scheme within two police force areas was £700,000 based on an assumption of 250-300 possible applications for DVPOs across a six to 12-month period over the two areas.
	In tough economic times, the Government have to consider options for delivering improved protection and value for money across all aspects of their work as part of the spending review. We will give further consideration to work in this area once the outcome of the spending review in known.

Domestic Violence

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she has made a recent estimate of the proportion of single parents who have experienced domestic violence in the last 12 months;
	(2)  if she will estimate the proportion of domestic violence incidents attended by police in the latest year for which figures are available in respect of which the offender was aged  (a) under 16,  (b) between 16 and 18,  (c) between 18 and 30 and  (d) 30 years or older;
	(3)  if she will estimate the proportion of domestic violence incidents attended by police for the most recent year for which figures are available in respect of which the offender was found to be under the influence of  (a) alcohol and  (b) drugs.

Lynne Featherstone: Although the Home Office does not hold information in the exact form specified, information on domestic violence and domestic abuse is collected by the British Crime Survey (BCS) through both face-to-face interviews and through a self-completion module given to respondents.
	The most recent figures for each question with the closest available data are as follows:
	According to the 2007-08 BCS self-completion module, 15.7% of men and 17.7% of women living alone with one or more children had been victims of domestic abuse in the last 12 months.
	According to the 2009-10 BCS, in incidents of domestic violence:
	3% of incidents included an offender aged under 16;
	28% of incidents included an offender aged 16 to 24;
	40% of incidents included an offender aged 25 to 39;
	30% of incidents included an offender aged 40 or older.
	According to the 2008-09 BCS self-completion module, 27% of victims of partner abuse in the past 12 months perceived that the offender was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident (or the most recent incident if they were victim of more than one) and 10% perceived that the offender was under the influence of drugs.

E-Borders Programme.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to include an automated authority to carry function in the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: It remains an option to include an automated authority to carry function in the e-Borders programme; however, there are no current plans to deploy this functionality.

E-Borders Programme.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reduce the overall cost of the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: Since the e-Borders contract was terminated on 22 July 2010 due to significant and persistent breaches of contract by Raytheon Systems Limited, it has been necessary to develop a strategy to procure services to replace those under the original e-Borders contract. This will include rigorous assessment of value for money.

E-Borders Programme.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what time scale she has set for securing an alternative supplier to deliver the e-Borders programme following the termination of the contract with Raytheon.

Damian Green: No time scale has been set for securing an alternative supplier to deliver the e-Borders programme; we are working with the existing supplier, Raytheon Systems Ltd, and other companies to conclude arrangements in this regard and this will enable planning to be finalised and determine the applicable timetable.

E-Borders Programme.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what time scale she has set for the completion of the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: No time scale has been set for completion of the e-Borders programme as this will be determined by approval of the business case through applicable governance mechanisms.

E-Borders Programme.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what time scale she has set for the inclusion of passenger name record checks in the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: Passenger name record checks are presently being considered for inclusion in the programme as part of the business case process; no time scale has been set for the inclusion of these checks in the e-Borders programme as this is dependent on approval of the business case.

Firearms

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics her Department collates about the use in crime of legally-held firearms.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office collects data on the number of offences in which firearms were reported to have been used. Since April 2007, homicides that were committed using a licensed firearm are reported to the Home Office. For all other offence types, it is not possible to determine whether the weapons involved were held on certificate.
	From 1986 to 1996-97, firearm offences data collected centrally did not include reference to whether weapons were held legally or illegally. Attempts were made between 1997-98 and 2003-04 to collect such data, but there were concerns over their quality and they were not in a form suitable for publication. There is a difficulty for the police being able to identify whether a firearm used in an offence was legally or illegally held, particularly if that firearm was not retrieved. As a result, the data for this period were not published. Because of these concerns, and following consultation with police force representatives, the data ceased to be collected centrally from 1 April 2004.

Firearms

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms of each category were reported stolen during 2009-10.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office collects data on firearms that are misappropriated. Misappropriated firearms are defined as those stolen, obtained by fraud or forgery, or handled dishonestly. Final figures for 2009-10 will be published in January 2011.

Firearms: Licensing

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with  (a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and  (b) the British Medical Association on mental health issues and firearms licensing; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa May: Ministers have met representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss firearms licensing issues, and are aware of their discussions with the medical associations about the possibility of placing a marker on NHS patient records so that a GP will know whether a patient has access to firearms and can notify the police of any concerns about a certificate holder's suitability. The Government are following progress closely and will feed this into subsequent work on gun controls.

Former Ministers: Security

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on protection and security for  (a) Tony Blair,  (b) Sir John Major and  (c) Baroness Thatcher in 2009.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 27 July 2010
	The Dedicated Security Post (DSP) Grant provided by the Home Office is a contribution to fund specialist police roles which relate exclusively, to the protection of members of the royal family and their residences; and the protection of public figures, and their official and private residences. The DSP grant for 2009-10 was £132 million.
	We do not provide detailed information regarding the allocation of the DSP grant to individual police forces or the amount of contribution for each individual or otherwise provide a further breakdown. Disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of these arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.

Former Ministers: Security

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of security provision for each former Cabinet Minister receiving protection since 2000.

Nick Herbert: We are unable to provide detailed information on the cost of security to protected individuals, including former Cabinet Ministers. To do so would compromise the integrity of the security arrangements of the individuals concerned.
	We can provide details of the aggregate Home Office contribution to the Dedicated Security Post (DSP) Grant, which provides a contribution towards the cost of police officers and staff who carry out protection duties. These duties relate to the protection of members of the Royal Family and their residences, and the protection of public figures, and their official and private residences. In 2009-10, £132 million was spent under the DSP grant. For 2010-11, the DSP grant is £128 million.
	Before 2009-10, the DSP funding stream also included a contribution to Special Branch policing at ports, counter-terrorism security advisers and policing of critical national infrastructure sites which are now funded by the Counter-Terrorism Specific Grant. An audited, disaggregated breakdown for the DSP spends for prior periods is not available.

Former Ministers: Security

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on protection and security for  (a) Tony Blair,  (b) Sir John Major and  (c) Baroness Thatcher in each year since 2007.

Nick Herbert: We are unable to provide detailed information on the cost of security to protected individuals, including former Prime Ministers. To do so would compromise the integrity of the security arrangements of the individuals concerned.
	We can provide details of the aggregate Home Office contribution for the dedicated security post (DSP) grant which provides a contribution towards the cost of police officers and staff who carry out protection duties. These duties relate to the protection of members of the royal family and their residences; and the protection of public figures, and their official and private residences. In 2009-10, £132 million was spent under the DSP grant. For 2010-11, the DSP grant is £128 million.
	Before 2009-10, the DSP grant also included a contribution to special branch policing at ports, counter-terrorism security advisers and policing of critical national infrastructure sites which are now funded by the counter-terrorism specific grant. An audited, disaggregated breakdown for the DSP spends is not available.

Google: Data Protection

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on interception of wireless communications data by Google Street View; which agency has responsibility for  (a) investigating and  (b) prosecuting breaches of the law in respect of unauthorised interception of wireless communications; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received no recent representations about interception of wireless communications data by Google Street View. The police are responsible for investigating cases of unlawful interception of communications and the Crown Prosecution Service for prosecuting those cases.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of her meeting with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary on 6 September 2010.

Nick Herbert: The Ministry of Justice and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary have advised that they are unaware of any meeting between the Secretary of State for Justice and Sir Denis O'Connor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary on 6 September 2010.
	However, a meeting did occur on this date between myself and Sir Denis O'Connor. This meeting was arranged to discuss a forthcoming workshop on the current arrangements for assessing police performance with policing representatives and officials. The outcome of the meeting was that the agenda and handling for the workshop was developed. No policy decisions were reached.

Human Trafficking

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis is for the Government's decision not to opt-in to the provisions of the European Directive on trafficking in human beings.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	The Government decided not to opt in to the directive at the outset, but to review the position once the directive has been implemented. We still have the option of applying to opt in at a later stage.
	In reaching this decision, the Government considered whether the directive would make a practical difference to the way the UK fights trafficking and whether it contained operational co-operation measures from which the UK would benefit.

Human Trafficking

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to tackle human trafficking.

Damian Green: Combating human trafficking is a key priority for the coalition Government. We are committed to tackling the organised crime groups who profit from this human misery, and to the protection of victims.
	In addition to ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies and NGO partners in combating trafficking, the Government are committed to creating a National Crime Agency, which will help combat organised crime, including trafficking, more effectively. We are also reviewing victim care arrangements, including the National Referral Mechanism which helps identify victims and refer them for support.

Human Trafficking: Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with offences of controlling sex workers for gain in London since 1 January 2010.

James Brokenshire: Information on charging is not held centrally, data on arrest or defendants proceeded against at magistrates court are normally provided in lieu.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences), broken down at a main offence group level only, therefore arrests data are not available at the level of detail required.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010. Data for 2010 will not be available until 2011.

Illegal Immigrants

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants to the UK who have been convicted of offences related to unlawful entry to the UK in the last three years have not been deported from the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	Between January 2007 and December 2009, 24,300 illegal entrants were detected by Border Force officers at the UK border.
	Of the 24,300 illegal entrants detected, 23,436 were removed or deported. A detailed annual breakdown is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Illegal entrants detected  Illegal entrants removed/deported  Percentage removed/deported 
			 2007 5,981 5,778 97 
			 2008 8,983 8,643 96 
			 2009 9,336 9,015 97 
			 Total 24,300 23,436 97 
		
	
	Of those illegal entrants detected by UK Border Agency officers at the UK border who are not removed or deported, a number will have been granted asylum or another form of discretionary leave.
	The information used to answer this question has been taken from a live database and is therefore subject to change. Removals and voluntary departures recorded on the system are as at the dates on which the data extracts are taken. Figures may change due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that may take place after extracts are taken.

Illegal Immigrants: Deportation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants from each country of origin have been served with deportation orders in each year since 1997; how many have appealed  (a) successfully and  (b) unsuccessfully against an order in each such year; and how many unsuccessful appellants (i) succeeded and (ii) did not succeed at tribunal hearings in each such year.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	 While the UK Border Agency captures information relating to illegal immigrants, removals and appeals, our standard reports do not capture all three of the elements listed within the question. To do so would require a new report to be built linking two databases, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Illegal Immigrants: Public Expenditure

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to the public purse was of one day's detention of an illegal immigrant in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such immigrants had been detained for  (a) up to three months,  (b) up to six months,  (c) up to 12 months and  (d) 12 months and over on the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	We would prefer that people with no basis of stay left the UK voluntarily.
	Detention is, however, an essential part of our ability to enforce an effective immigration control. It is generally used where we need to establish a person's nationality or identity, to consider applications for asylum from those claims which can be concluded quickly, to remove those with no basis of stay who have either failed or refused to leave the UK, or to hold those committed of serious offences pending their deportation.
	The average daily cost of detaining a person in an immigration removal centre (IRC) is £110.
	The UK Border Agency seeks to keep length of detention to the minimum period although where it does become prolonged, it is invariably because the detainee is failing to co-operate with the removal process, including providing incomplete or false information about their identity.
	The latest published information on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers by length of detention are available in the table 3.11 of the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, April-June 2010 in the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Immigration

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people with pending applications for indefinite leave to remain who have been in the UK for  (a) up to five years,  (b) between five and 10 years and  (c) 15 years or more.

Damian Green: This information is not available from the UK Border Agency's Case Information Database (CID) as the information requested is not recorded in a format that can be retrieved by running Management Information (MI) reports.

Miscarriages of Justice: Freedom of Information

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to cases of alleged miscarriage of justice have been refused by each police authority in each year since the Act's entry into force.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 15 September 2010
	This information is not held centrally.

Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces supply data to the Missing Persons Bureau for the quarterly and annual data reports on missing people.

Nick Herbert: Of the 46 English and Welsh forces (including the islands), 35 provided at least one quarterly return to the UK Missing Persons Bureau in 2009-10. 16 police forces provided a return for all four quarters. List 1 provides the individual breakdown.
	Of the eight Scottish police forces, four provided at least one quarterly return to the UK Missing Persons Bureau in 2009-10. Two police forces provided a return for all four quarters. List 2 provides the individual breakdown.
	The variation in supplying data reflects the staged implementation of the Code of Practice requiring data to be provided. Police forces have shown willing in working towards full compliance and the Bureau is supporting them through this transition.
	 List 1: English and Welsh police force quarterly returns to the Missing Persons Bureau in 2009-10
	 Police forces providing at least one quarterly return
	Avon and Somerset Constabulary
	Bedfordshire Police
	Cambridgeshire Constabulary
	Cheshire Constabulary
	Cleveland Police
	Cumbria Police
	Derbyshire Constabulary
	Devon and Cornwall Police
	Essex Police
	Greater Manchester Police
	Gwent Police
	Hampshire Constabulary
	Hertfordshire Constabulary
	Humberside Police
	Kent Police
	Lancashire Constabulary
	Leicestershire Constabulary
	Lincolnshire Police
	Merseyside Police
	Metropolitan Police Service
	Norfolk Constabulary
	Northamptonshire Police
	Northumbria Police
	North Wales Police
	Nottinghamshire Police
	South Wales Police
	South Yorkshire Police
	Staffordshire Police
	Suffolk Constabulary
	Surrey Police
	Sussex Police
	Thames Valley Police
	Warwickshire Police
	West Midlands Police
	West Mercia Police
	 Police forces that provided a return for each quarter
	Avon and Somerset Constabulary
	Cambridgeshire Constabulary
	Cheshire Constabulary
	Hertfordshire Constabulary
	Humberside Police
	Lancashire Constabulary
	Derbyshire Constabulary
	Leicestershire Constabulary
	Lincolnshire Police
	Merseyside Police
	Metropolitan Police Service
	South Wales Police
	Suffolk Constabulary
	Surrey Police
	Sussex Police
	West Mercia Police
	 List 2: Scottish police force quarterly returns to the Missing Persons Bureau in 2009-10
	 Police forces providing at least one quarterly return
	Grampian Police
	Northern Constabulary
	Central Scotland Police
	Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary
	 Police forces that provided a return for each quarter
	Grampian Police
	Northern Constabulary.

Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces do not supply day-to-day data to the Missing Person's Bureau on people who have been missing for more than 72 hours.

Nick Herbert: Of the 46 English and Welsh police forces (including the islands), 40 provide the UK Missing Persons Bureau with data manually or by automatic transfer, 36 of these on a consistent basis. Of the eight Scottish forces, three provide data, one of these on a consistent basis.
	The bureau does not receive data notifications from the following police forces unless specific case details are requested: City of London police, Norfolk constabulary, Northumbria police, South Yorkshire police, Guernsey police, Isle of Man constabulary, Central Scotland police, Dumfries and Galloway constabulary, Fife constabulary, Northern constabulary, Tayside police and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Of the special police forces (as referred to in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005), the British Transport police provide some manual notifications on an irregular basis.
	None of the armed forces/military police forces provide notifications to the bureau.
	The variation in supplying data reflects the staged implementation of the code of practice requiring data to be provided. Forces have shown willing in working towards full compliance and the bureau is supporting them through this transition.

Missing Persons: Unidentified Bodies

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unidentified bodies were successfully matched against reports of missing persons in 2009-10.

Nick Herbert: A total of 67 unidentified bodies were successfully matched against reports of missing persons in 2009-10.
	This figure reflects data held centrally. In accordance with the Code of Practice, police forces are required to notify unidentified people, bodies and body parts to the Bureau within 48 hours. Consequently, bodies which are identified within 48 hours may not be reported to the Bureau.
	The data provided are management information, and has not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

National Police Improvement Agency: Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the National Police Improvement Agency spent on work related to missing persons in 2009-10.

Nick Herbert: For the financial year 2009-10, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) spent a total of £558,000 on work related to missing persons in 2009-10. The NPIA also made contributions totalling £600,000 to the charity Missing People.

Northumbria Constabulary: Finance

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the damping element of the police grant will be paid to Northumbria constabulary for 2010-11.

Nick Herbert: Yes. Northumbria Constabulary will receive £36.3 million damping support in 2010-11.

Police

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces continue to use the policing pledge.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 September 2010
	The police service needs more freedom from central control, fewer centrally driven targets and less intervention and interference from government. That is why the policing pledge has been abolished and the remaining centrally imposed target on police forces to improve public confidence has been scrapped. In line with this approach, the Home Office does not hold information on the continued use of the policing pledge.

Police

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's statistical bulletin 14/10, on police service strength, what assessment she has made of recent trends in the strength of police forces in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: Police service strength for 31 March 2010 was published by the Home Office on 22 July. Decisions about the number of police officers, police community support officers and police staff in each force are a matter for the chief constable in consultation with the police authority.

Police Authorities

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2010,  Official Report, column 79W, on police authorities, under what budgetary headings the amount spent on the administration of Essex Police Authority was incurred; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: Essex police authority has now published its statement for accounts, and it is available on its website. This shows the authority spent £235,000 on allowances, £119,000 on its Community Safety Partnership grant, £237,000 on internal audit, £18,000 on banking charges, £576,000 on staffing and £149,000 on other costs.

Police Authorities

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2010,  Official Report, column 79W, on police authorities, what progress has been made on the implementation of proposals to introduce directly-elected individuals to replace police authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office is engaging constructively with key policing stakeholders on the development of our proposals to introduce Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales.
	These proposals were set out in the 'Policing in the 21st Century' consultation document, published on 26 July 2010. Formal consultation ended on 20 September. Responses have been submitted by a range of policing partners and these will now be considered before the publication of the Government response in the autumn.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police precepts will be set by elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: Yes.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police commissioners will be elected to serve fixed-term appointments; and when she plans Police Commissioners'  (a) elections to take place and  (b) terms of office to begin.

Nick Herbert: As outlined in chapter 2 of the Home Office's consultation document "Policing in the 21st century: reconnecting police and the people" (published on 26 July 2010), Police and Crime Commissioners will be elected to serve four-year terms from 2012. Their terms of office will begin shortly after elections, although the exact details will be confirmed following the current consultation.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her timetable is for the passage of legislation to provide for the election of police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: As set out in the Structural Reform Plan, I intend to introduce legislation regarding police and crime commissioners early in the first session, subject to parliamentary time, and hope to receive Royal Assent for the Bill by November 2011. I expect the first elections to take place in 2012.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether members of political parties will be eligible to be elected as police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: Yes.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with electoral registration officers (EROs) on proposals for the election of police commissioners; and whether EROs will administer such elections.

Nick Herbert: We have been consulting the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) on the administration of the election of police and crime commissioners, and we will continue to engage with them until the arrangements for the elections are finalised. We will expect to use the experience of existing registration officers to support the elections.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice she received from professional bodies in formulating her proposals for directly-elected police commissioners.

Theresa May: The Home Office has engaged constructively with our policing partners, including the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities, on the development of our proposals to introduce police and crime commissioners in England and Wales. These proposals were set out in the 'Policing in the 21st Century' consultation document, on which we invited comments before the close of the consultation period on 20 September 2010.

Police: Accountability

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Oral Statement of 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 723-24, on policing in the 21st century, whether candidates standing for the position of Police and Crime Commissioner will be vetted; whether a criminal record will make an individual ineligible for that position; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: We are still consulting with the public and our partners on the detail of the commissioners policy. I can confirm that, as with parliamentary and local government elections, certain people will be prevented from standing due to a previous criminal record.

Police: Accountability

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Oral Statement of 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 723-24, on policing in the 21st century, whether she proposes to give elected Police Commissioners a role in the work of  (a) the Crown Prosecution Service and  (b) local prosecutors; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The remit of Police and Crime Commissioners is set out clearly in chapter 2 of the Home Office's consultation document "Policing in the 21st century: reconnecting police and the people" (published on 26 July 2010). The document states that the Government see a potential future role for commissioners in respect of the wider criminal justice system as further reforms develop.

Police: Accountability

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on her plans for directly-elected police commissioners from  (a) senior police,  (b) trade unions and  (c) police associations and affiliated organisations.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has engaged constructively with senior police, trade unions and police associations on the development of our proposals to introduce Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales.
	These proposals were set out in the Policing in the 21(st) Century consultation document, published on 26 July 2010. So far we have received a total of 115 responses and 335 respondents have commented directly online. We expect further responses before the close of the consultation period on 20 September 2010.

Police: Accountability

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her timetable is for the  (a) passage of legislation to provide for the election of police commissioners and  (b) election of police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: As set out in the Structural Reform Plan, I intend to introduce legislation regarding Police and Crime Commissioners early this Session, subject to parliamentary time, and hope to receive Royal Assent for the Bill by November 2011 subject to the will of the Parliament. I expect the first elections of Police and Crime Commissioners to take place in 2012.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's consultation on policing in the 21st century, what assessment she has made of other models of strengthening accountability in police authorities.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 September 2010
	 The Government are committed to the policy set out in the Coalition Agreement.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Wales on the cost implications for Wales of introducing directly elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: I have had a number of meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues to help formulate policy for the introduction of directly elected police and crime commissioners-these have included discussions on the policy implications for both devolved and non-devolved matters in Wales. I will continue to consult with key partners, including with the Secretary of State for Wales, and as the Bill progresses through Parliament.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions will apply to the election of a new police commissioner when  (a) a commissioner resigns in mid-term and  (b) a commissioner resigns in the period leading up to the following election.

Nick Herbert: The Government's consultation document "Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting police and the people" set out that if a commissioner should resign or be unable to do their job, the police and crime panels will be able to appoint an interim commissioner until a by-election can be arranged or the commissioner can return to the post.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make an assessment of the merits of introducing a right of recall of elected police commissioners by the public.

Nick Herbert: The Government's consultation document "Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting police and the people" set out that we will introduce the power of recall in relation to Police and Crime Commissioners. Police and crime panels and the public may have a role in triggering the recall of Police and Crime Commissioners, but recall will only be used where the Independent Police Complaints Commission has ruled that serious misconduct has taken place.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her estimate is of the cost of  (a) administration of and  (b) distribution of election literature free of charge in relation to the election of a police commissioner for Lancashire; and who will meet these costs.

Nick Herbert: The Government are still consulting on the detail of the policy for Police and Crime Commissioners, and no decision has yet been made on these issues.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will ensure that the election for police commissioner in Lancashire is not held on the same date as any other election or referendum.

Nick Herbert: The Government are still consulting on the detail of the policy for Police and Crime Commissioners, and no decision has yet been made on these issues.

Police: Accountability

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long she proposes the term of office of elected police commissioners will be.

Nick Herbert: As set out in the "Policing in the 21st Century" document, Commissioners will have a set four-year term of office and term limits of two terms.

Police: Accountability

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will take steps to keep monitoring the political party affiliations of the proposed directly-elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: The Government are still consulting on the detail of the policy for Police and Crime Commissioners, and no decision has yet been made on these issues.

Police: Advertising

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much each police force spent on advertising  (a) on local radio,  (b) in local newspapers and  (c) in all other publications in the latest year for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: This information requested is not held centrally.

Police: Bureaucracy

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the proportion of police officers' time spent on administrative tasks.

Nick Herbert: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi) on 6 September 2010,  Official Report , columns 6-7.

Police: Crime Prevention

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will assess the effect on public perception of the likelihood of crime of proposed reductions in funding to police authorities.

Nick Herbert: Cutting the budget deficit and ensuring the economic recovery is a Government priority, and the police along with everyone else will have to bear a fair share of proposed reductions in funding. Future police funding will be decided by the spending review, reporting on 20 October 2010. While it is for chief constables to use their expertise and decide what makes most sense for their force, I am quite clear that savings should be made by driving out wasteful spending, reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency in order to protect the frontline of policing.
	On 26 July my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the most radical reforms to be proposed for policing in this country for 50 years, which will reduce time-wasting bureaucracy, make the police more available and effective, and provide better value for taxpayers' money. The introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners will enable the public to exercise direct accountability over policing in their communities, strengthen their confidence in the police and cut crime and antisocial behaviour.

Police: EU Countries

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for evidence-gathering UK police forces have received from police forces of each other EU member state relating to offences of each category in each of the last five years; and how many such requests were refused in each case.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 September 2010
	 Requests for evidence in criminal matters from EU member states' judicial authorities are sent to one of three central authorities in the UK. These are the UK Central Authority in the Home Office, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. The tables placed in the House Library detail the best collated figures available for requests to the UK which have been acceded to or refused in the last five years. Where more than one offence is listed within a request, (eg rape and assault), only the primary offence has been included in order to avoid the double counting of requests.

Police: Finance

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the conclusions of the July 2010 report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Audit Commission on the effect on frontline police numbers of a 12 per cent. reduction in police service budgets;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the findings of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in its joint report with the Audit Commission published on 14 July 2010 that a reduction of over 12 per cent. to the Police Budget will negatively impact frontline police numbers; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa May: The Government have noted the reports of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Audit Commission carefully.

Police: Finance

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on maintaining levels of central government funding for police officer salaries.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 8 October 2010
	It is a matter for chief constables and police authorities how they use their budget. Police officer salaries come from within this budget.
	Future funding levels for police forces will be determined by the spending review which will report on 20 October 2010.

Police: Finance

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she plans to provide funding for additional police officers through savings achieved by abolishing identity cards; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 September 2010
	There are no net savings to the Exchequer in the current financial year from the decision to cancel ID cards. The allocation of savings made from the abolition of ID cards beyond the current financial year is a matter for the spending review.
	Police officer recruitment remains a matter for each chief constable.

Police: Finance

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police precept for 2011-12 will be set; and who will be responsible for setting it.

Nick Herbert: Police authorities will be responsible for setting the police precept for 2011-12. Major precepting authorities such as police authorities must set their budgets by 1 March each year.

Police: Finance

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the provisions of the Localism Bill will apply to police precepts.

Nick Herbert: Aspects of the Localism Bill, such as the provisions for referendums on council tax increases, are expected to apply to police precepts.

Police: Finance

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to change the respective responsibilities of her Department and police authorities to fund categories of police funding.

Nick Herbert: The spending review which reports in October will offer further clarity on future funding.

Police: Mental Illness

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions her Department has had with police forces to improve the service provided by the police to people with mental health problems.

Nick Herbert: The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and mental health organisations, has developed a new learning resource entitled "Mental Health and Learning Disability", to improve the service provided by the police to people with mental health problems. This was launched and made available to all Home Office funded police forces, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and British Transport Police in May 2010.

Police: Missing Persons

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to require the sharing of best practice between police forces on missing persons investigations.

Nick Herbert: Work is currently under way between the Home Office, the National Policing Improvement Agency Missing Persons Bureau and the Association of Chief Police Officers to ensure that best practice in relation to missing persons investigations is disseminated to all police forces in England and Wales.

Police: Overtime

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much overtime was paid to police officers working additional hours  (a) on days they were scheduled to work and  (b) on a scheduled rest day in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold these data.

Police: Telephone Services

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral statement of 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 723-24, on policing in the 21st century, what budgetary analysis her Department undertook prior to the Statement on the costs and benefits of introducing a single police non-emergency number.

Theresa May: The oral statement of 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 723-24, set out the Government's intention to
	"look for a cost-effective way to establish '101' as a single police non-emergency number so that it is easier to report crime and antisocial behaviour".
	The Home Office is currently working with the police service and other partners to consider the costs and benefits of various options for implementing a single police non-emergency number.

Police: Unidentified Bodies

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by police forces on matching unidentified bodies with persons reported missing in 2009-10.

Nick Herbert: The expenditure by police forces on missing persons investigations is not collated centrally.

Police: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were based in Wolverhampton North East constituency  (a) in 1997 and  (b) on the latest date for which information is available.

Nick Herbert: Police personnel data are not collected at constituency level. There were 7,113 police officers in West Midlands Police Force as at 31 March 1997 and 8,536 police officers as at 31 March 2010. Figures are provided on a comparable basis.
	The Basic Command Unit (BCU) of Wolverhampton is part of West Midlands Police Force. BCU data were first collected in 2002. Wolverhampton had 646 officers as at 31 March 2002 and 670 as at 31 March 2010.
	These and other related data are published annually as part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.

Proceeds of Crime

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the monetary value was of  (a) cash and  (b) other assets confiscated from criminals in 2009; and how much of that amount was redistributed for community projects (i) nationally and (ii) in Bedford.

Nick Herbert: In 2008-09, £148 million was recovered from criminals, which included £40 million in cash forfeitures. The previous Government's Community Cashback scheme gave local people a say in how £4 million of those recovered criminal assets should be spent in their communities in 2009-10. Under the scheme, local areas could bid for funding up to £95,000 and the Bedfordshire Local Criminal Justice Board successfully bid to fund six community projects. One of these projects was partially based in Bedford. Details of this and other cashback projects in Bedfordshire can be found at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100115015804/http:/cashback.cjsonline.gov.uk/cc.asp?area=2
	In 2009-10, £153.7 million was recovered from criminals, which included £50 million in cash forfeitures.
	Separately, money returned to individual law enforcement agencies, prosecution agencies and the courts under the Asset Recovery Incentivisation scheme is primarily aimed at driving up asset recovery performance but can also be spent on community projects. None of the assets recovered under this scheme were used for community projects in Bedford in 2008-09.
	Information on use of the money under this scheme for 2009-10 is not yet available.

Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been reported to the Metropolitan Police of sex workers being threatened for protection money in 2010; and in how many of these cases charges were brought against any individuals.

James Brokenshire: The information is not available from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. In an incident of a sex worker being threatened for protection money, it is the appropriate offence that will be recorded by the police, for example, a threat of being assaulted. Offences where the victim is a sex worker cannot be separately identified from other offences recorded within an offence classification.

Rape

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to implement the recommendations of the Stern Review on the handling of rape complaints by public authorities.

Theresa May: The Government are committed to improving the investigation and prosecution of rape and supporting victims. We are working towards long-term improvements that are embedded through the criminal justice system and as such this review, and the recommendations that are raised within it, deserve careful consideration. A full response to the Stern review will be published in March 2011 alongside, and in conjunction with, a cross-Government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

Special Constables: Recruitment

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what target she has set for the number of special constables to be recruited in  (a) 2010 and  (b) 2011; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: This Government have not set specific national targets in respect of overall special constable recruitment for 2010 or 2011.
	However, as set out in the consultation paper 'Policing in the 21st century: reconnecting police and the people', the coalition Government are committed to increasing the number of people volunteering in policing.
	Special constables, who take an active role in policing their communities on a voluntary basis, are very much an example of the Big Society that this Government would like to see develop.
	The consultation on the future of the policing landscape is still ongoing and more detailed proposals will be announced over the coming months.

Taxis

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management and Ministerial Codes.
	The Home Department spend on taxis for the financial years 1997-98 to 2009-10 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 1997-98 0.03 
			 1998-99 0.04 
			 1999-2000 0.05 
			 2000-01 0.09 
			 2001-02 0.24 
			 2002-03 0.36 
			 2003-04 0.43 
			 2004-05 0.65 
			 2005-06 0.81 
			 2006-07 0.96 
			 2007-08 0.90 
			 2008-09 0.12 
			 2009-10 0.12 
		
	
	From 1997-98 to 2007-08, the figures include expenditure by Home Office headquarters, the Immigration and Nationality Department (IND), the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR). NOMS and OCJR transferred to the Ministry of Justice in 2007. IND thereafter became an executive agency on 1 April 2008.

Telephone Tapping

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she had with the Prime Minister's Director of Communications on her Department's communications strategy on its policy on telephone tapping.

Theresa May: holding answer 14 September 2010
	I have had no such discussions.

Terrorism Act 2006: Arrests

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) arrested for and  (b) charged with an offence under section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 in each year from 2006 to 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 9 September 2010
	There is no power of arrest within S1 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Individuals suspected of alleged terrorism offences are subject to arrest under S41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	In relation to  (b), the Home Office does not collate statistics in this way.
	Data on the number of individuals charged under Section 1 and 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 are included in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin (Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and Subsequent Legislation: Arrests, Outcomes and Stops and Searches). The available figures show that one person was charged for offences related to S1 and 2 Terrorism Act 2006 in 2006-07; three individuals were charged in 2007-08; and three individuals were charged in 2008-09.
	A link to the relevant Statistical Bulletin is included in the following website:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/hosb1809.pdf

Terrorism: Extradition

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many proposed extraditions of terrorist suspects have not proceeded for reasons related to rights contained in the European Convention of Human Rights in each of the last three years; and for what reason each did not proceed.

Nick Herbert: No extradition requests for persons accused of terrorist-related offences have been refused under human rights grounds in the last three years, although there are currently six cases before the European Court of Human Rights.

Terrorism: Extradition

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) cases regarding extradition from the UK in respect of persons accused of terrorist offences and  (b) appeals by persons convicted of terrorist offences in the UK are active before the European Court of Human Rights.

Nick Herbert: There are six cases before the European Court of Human Rights which concern extradition requests for persons accused of terrorist-related offences.
	The Home Office does not collate statistics in this way. However, the Home Office does publish statistics on arrests and outcomes under the Terrorism Act 2000 (Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and Subsequent Legislation: Arrests, Outcomes and Stops and Searches). The link to the last edition of the annual publication is provided at:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/hosb1809.pdf

UK Border Agency: Pay

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bonuses have been paid to members of the UK Border Agency management over the last two years.

Damian Green: The information in the following tables lists the bonus payments made to senior civil servants in the UK Border Agency, within the last two financial years.
	
		
			  Annex A: Performance year 2008-09 to 2009-10 
			   Grade of staff- SCS 
			   2008-09  2009-10 
			 Total number of staff 51 63 
			 Total number receiving a non-consolidated performance payment or special one-off non-consolidated payment 38 (1)43 
			 Total number receiving a non-consolidated performance payment 29 42 
			 Performance cost (£) 295,000 220,000 
			 Total number receiving a special one-off non-consolidated payment 9 2 
			 One off payment cost (£) 27,778.70 6,000 
			 Total cost (£) (2)322,778.70 226,000.00 
			 (1)( )One individual received both a non-consolidated performance payment and a special one-off payment, making the total number of individuals in receipt of an award 43 rather than 44. (2)( )In our response to a parliamentary question from the then hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink), dated 21 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 1550-52W, we reported that we had awarded £343,605.08 to members of the senior civil service during 2008-09. We are now satisfied that the figure was actually £322,778.70.

UK Border Agency: Police

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the level of savings which will accrue to the UK Border Agency from the removal of funding for three port police officers at Stranraer port in 2011-12.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	The saving to the UK Border Agency will be just under £147,000 per annum based on the previous year's salaries of the three officers in question. This figure includes all overtime and expenses.

Violence Against Women

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 514 on risk assessment, what progress she has made in considering the use of multi-agency risk assessment conferences in her strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

James Brokenshire: The prevalence of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, in our society is unacceptable. A cross-Government strategy will be launched in the spring to address this. I am in discussions with colleagues across government on how we will take forward our approach in this area as both coalition parties planned in opposition. This will include consideration of multi-agency risk assessment conferences.

Visas: Deportation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each country overstayed a visitor visa in each year since 1997; how many people on each other type of visa overstayed that visa in each such year; what proportion of each was deported in each such year; how many in each category are awaiting deportation; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 September 2010
	 There are currently two main ways to identify an overstayer:
	(i) On embarkation from the UK
	(ii) Through enforcement action in country.
	Until e-borders is fully implemented we are unable to identify all overstayers on embarkation.

Wines

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on wine in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office accounting systems do not identify separate expenditure on wine. The information cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Home Office expenditure on official hospitality and entertainment conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Hospitality is defined as the provision of food, drink and entertainment of non civil servants where it is beneficial to the interests of the Department.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Alternative Vote: Referendums

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Blackburn of 14 July 2010,  Official Report, column 798W, on electoral systems: referendums, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the cost of conduct elements of the proposed referendum on the alternative vote system which will fall on local authorities in Scotland if the referendum  (a) is and  (b) is not held on the same day as the election for the Scottish Parliament; and what calculation he has used to make such an estimate.

Mark Harper: The current estimated cost of the referendum on the voting system in Scotland is  (a) £6.9 million when combined with the Scottish parliamentary election or  (b) £9.9 million if held as a standalone poll. These estimates are based upon an assessment of the size of the electorate and the number of individuals who might apply to vote by post. These factors determine many of the costs, such as the number of ballot papers, polling stations, poll cards, postal ballot packs and estimates of labour costs. These costs will not fall on local authorities as the referendum will be funded from the consolidated fund.

Boundary Commissions: Internet

Julian Huppert: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of making the Boundary Commission's data publicly available online.

Mark Harper: Clause 10 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill requires the Boundary Commissions to take such steps as they see fit to publicise their proposed recommendations. It will therefore be for the Commissions themselves to determine how to publicise relevant data, though at the most recent review the Commissions made use of their websites to publish information about the review. Electorate data for each part of the UK are available from the Office of National Statistics website.

Constituencies

Ian Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how frequently he proposes that constituency boundaries will be reviewed following the changes envisaged in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: Clause 8 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill requires the Boundary Commissions to submit reports before 1 October 2013, and before 1 October of every fifth year after that.

Constituencies

Ian Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what process will be followed to determine proposed changes to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies.

Mark Harper: The Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended by the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, sets out the process the Boundary Commissions will follow in drawing up the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. The Bill would require each Boundary Commission to propose recommendations for constituency boundaries that are in accordance with the Rules for the Distribution of Seats set out at the new schedule 1 to the 1986 Act. The Bill requires that the Boundary Commissions take whatever steps they see fit to inform people of their proposals; and to make copies available for inspection. There follows a 12 week period for representations on Boundary Commissions' proposals. A second 12 week period for representations will follow where proposals are revised. Any further revisions would then be final. Under the provisions of the Bill, the Speaker, as the ex-officio chair of the Boundary Commissions, is required to lay before Parliament a "progress report" in the January of the year before a deadline and each subsequent January until a final report containing the recommended constituencies is submitted to Government.

Constituencies

Ian Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister by what date he proposes that the calculation of the number of residents of each proposed new parliamentary constituency should be published; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Boundary Commissions will be required to use the parliamentary electoral register from 1 December 2010 to determine the electoral quota. The information that will be required to calculate the UK electoral quota in accordance with the provisions of the Bill is usually available from the Office for National Statistics in late February of each year. The four Boundary Commissions must use this UK electoral quota, but it is a matter for each Commission to decide how they communicate this information. We expect that the number of electors that will comprise each proposed constituency will be published alongside the proposals for constituency boundaries themselves, and that the final figures will then be included in the Boundary Commissions' reports to the Secretary of State.

Constituencies

Ian Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the three-month consultation period for proposed boundary changes for parliamentary constituencies to begin; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The commencement of the specified consultation period set out in clause 10 of the Bill will be announced by the relevant Boundary Commission when provisional recommendations for a constituency have been published. The Bill requires the Commissions to submit their reports before 1 October 2013.

Electoral Register

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to take steps to increase the level of voter registration before 1 December 2010.

Mark Harper: Maintaining a complete and accurate electoral register is the responsibility of electoral registration officers (EROs), in accordance with their duties under section 9A of the Representation of the People Act 1983. In carrying out this responsibility, as with other aspects of their role, EROs are monitored by the Electoral Commission, which sets performance standards and provides guidance on the performance of their duties. In addition, the Electoral Commission runs campaigns to encourage voter registration and provide information on elections as part of its duty under section 13 (1) (a) of the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
	The Government are committed to taking steps to support EROs in their work in improving levels of registration. On 15 September I made a statement to the House, outlining the Government's proposed approach to speeding up the implementation of individual electoral registration and as part of this I announced that we will be trialling data matching during 2011-that is, comparing the electoral register with other public databases to find the people missing from the register. The aim is to tackle under registration, including among those specific groups most affected by it, and ensure that every opportunity to register is available to those currently not on the electoral register. I also announced that we will examine how electoral registration can be integrated into people's day to day transactions with government, for example when they move house, or visit the Post Office, or apply for a passport or driving licence.

Electoral Register

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps will be taken to ensure that people with double electoral registration are prevented from voting twice in the proposed parliamentary voting system referendum.

Mark Harper: It is lawful for an individual to be registered at more than one address if they satisfy the respective Electoral Registration Officers that they meet the residence requirement for each address.
	However, it is an offence under section 61 (2) (a) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 to vote more than once at an election for the same body. Thus, while a person can vote in different local elections where they are validly registered, they cannot vote twice in a UK General election or European Parliamentary election. Under paragraph 1 of Schedule 4 to the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, section 61 (2) (a) above is applied (with the necessary modifications) for the purposes of the UK Parliamentary voting system referendum.

Electoral Register

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his most recent estimate is of the number of people who are registered to vote in more than one UK parliamentary constituency.

Mark Harper: Electoral registers are compiled at a local level by independent electoral registration officers.
	Information about whether individuals have registered in more than one constituency is not collected centrally.

Electoral Register

Ian Austin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what mechanisms he plans to put in place to monitor changes in the number of people eligible to vote in parliamentary constituencies between elections for the purpose of maintaining smaller and more equal-sized constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The number of eligible electors in each parliamentary constituency in the UK is published each year by the Office for National Statistics, using data from electoral registers. More frequent reviews will ensure that constituency boundaries better reflect changes in the number of people eligible to vote and remain up to date and fair. At present reports are published every eight to 12 years. The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill requires the Boundary Commissions to publish a report by 1 October 2013 and every five years after that.

Electoral Systems

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to take steps to ensure that in future elections voters who are queuing to vote at a polling station at the time it closes are able to cast their vote.

Mark Harper: The Government are considering carefully the Electoral Commission's reports on the May 2010 elections and will take any appropriate steps necessary to prevent the issues which arose at some polling stations happening again. It will be important, however, to make sure that any changes to rules are workable and would benefit the public.

Lobbying

Kate Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings he has had with professional lobbying organisations in connection with the proposed statutory register of lobbyists since May 2010.

Mark Harper: The Deputy Prime Minister and I have not had any meetings with professional lobbying organisations in connection with the proposed statutory register of lobbyists since May 2010. I met with Elizabeth France CBE, the independent Chairman of the UK Public Affairs Council on 6 July 2010, along with Sir Phillip Mawer, the Chairman of the UK Public Affairs Council Implementation Team.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what financial saving his Department expects to realise from the abolition of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites;
	(2)  what body will undertake those functions which were the responsibility of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites;
	(3)  for what reasons he decided to abolish the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

John Penrose: The abolition of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites (ACHWS) will streamline the provision of advice to Government on operation of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. It is expected to generate savings for DCMS of £1,424 per annum, which relates to operational costs associated with the appointment and reappointment of members to the ACHWS.
	In future such advice will be provided by English Heritage in relation to heritage assets in English waters. English Heritage is Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment. It already provides statutory advice on the protection and conservation of terrestrial heritage assets in England so the abolition of ACHWS will help to simplify our landscape of public bodies.
	Discussions with the devolved Administrations about the future procurement of advice on operation of the 1973 Act in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland waters are ongoing.

BBC: Accountability

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 309W, on the BBC, what response was received from the chair of the BBC Trust on proposals to make the BBC more accountable to Parliament; if he will place in the Library a copy of the note of the meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The BBC Trust has been fully and productively engaged on the matter. The meeting in June was private and no note was taken.

Brighton Pavilion

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Brighton Pavilion constituency, the effects of his Department's policies on that constituency from  (a) May 1997 to April 2010 and  (b) since May 2010.

John Penrose: The impact of the Department's policies, including those delivered by our arms length bodies, on the Brighton Pavilion constituency since 1997 include:
	Digital switchover is due to take place in the Brighton Pavilion in 2011. By the time switchover is complete at the end of 2012, 98.5% of households nationwide will be able to receive digital TV-the same number that can currently receive analogue.
	£53,000 of English Heritage grant offers to the Brighton Pavilion constituency in 2008-09
	£25,149 of Exchequer investment to the Brighton Pavilion constituency provided through Sport England since 2002.
	Almost £70 million of national lottery grants made to applications from the Brighton Pavilion constituency since 1997.
	Almost 100,000 free swims taken in the Brighton and Hove area as part of the Free Swimming programme.
	£9,617,829 given from Arts Council England to organisations based in Brighton Pavilion through the Grants for the Arts programme since 2003.
	£1,689,500 of capital lottery funds allocated by Arts Council England for projects in the Brighton Pavilion constituency undertaken since 2003.
	The Brighton Pavilion constituency has also benefited from other policies and spending whose impact cannot be broken down by constituency. This includes:
	Over £4 billion of Exchequer funding spent on culture.
	£448.9 million given in grants by English Heritage since 1997.
	More than £5.5 billion invested in sport by the Government and the national lottery since 1997.
	A 68% increase in national museum visits since 1998-99. There were a record 40.3 million visits to the national museums in 2008-09-10% of which were by adults from lower socioeconomic groups.
	50% of buildings removed from the baseline 1999 Buildings at Risk register as their future has been secured.
	90% of all pupils taking part in at least two hours of high quality PE or sport per week in 2008 from an estimated 25% in 2003-04-exceeding our target.
	Since May 2010, Arts Council England has granted £78,767 to organisations based in Brighton Pavilion through the Grants for the Arts programme. The heritage lottery fund has provided £206,200 to the constituency.

Broadband

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the average actual speed of broadband was in England in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the  (a) advertised and  (b) average actual broadband speed in (i) Thornton-le-Street, (b) Filey and  (c) Rosedale Abbey was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what steps are being taken to connect remote villages and rural areas to fast broadband.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	in my capacity as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Government will ensure a universal connectivity of 2 Mbps by 2015. In addition, the Government will take a number of regulatory and public policy steps to accelerate the deployment of superfast broadband across the UK. BDUK will also announce the locations of three Superfast broadband pilots in the autumn, where the Government will assist with the cost of deployment of Superfast broadband in commercially challenging locations. We have also said we will consider the option of using a proportion of the BBC licence fee to support superfast broadband deployment after 2012.
	According to Ofcom's UK Broadband Speeds Report, published in July 2010 the average speed of broadband in England was 5.1 Mbps. The Government do not hold information for the average speed for individual locations.
	Ofcom's report is available on their website at:
	http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2010/07/increase-in-uk%E2%80%99s-average-actual-broadband-speed/

Departmental Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid  (a) electronically and  (b) by cheque.

John Penrose: The average cost of processing the payment of an invoice was £9.90.
	The Department is actively looking at ways of reducing the cost of processing invoice payments.
	The proportion paid electronically (including by procurement card) was 99.14%, and by cheque was 0.86%.
	These figures are based on costs and volumes from 1 April to 31 August 2010.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's chief scientific officer since 6 May 2010.

John Penrose: Ministers at this Department have had no such meetings as yet.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

John Penrose: No management consultancy or IT contracts have been awarded by the Department since 7 May 2010.

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

John Penrose: The buildings occupied by the Department are leased, and not owned.

Departmental Press

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

John Penrose: The information set out in the table shows expenditure incurred by the Department on subscriptions for hard copy and online magazines, newspapers, books and other publications, access to specific research databases, the Stationery Office and other parliamentary information sources as well as legal online and hard copy updating services. The way information has been recorded does not allow us to disaggregate newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines from the overall expenditure.
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 2009-10 59,323.07 
			 2008-09 200,707.36 
			 2007-08 175,665.75 
			 2006-07 160,367.67 
			 2005-06 149,032.92 
			 2004-05 160,896.15 
			 2003-04 133,119.30 
			 2002-03 173,411.08 
			 2001-02 131,096.02 
			 2000-01 122,884.86 
			 1999-2000 114,658.81 
			 1998-99 86,627.81 
			 1997-98 95,412.71

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many different newspapers  (a) were delivered to the Secretary of State's office between 5 June 2009 and 11 May 2010 and  (b) have been delivered since 12 May 2010; how many copies of each newspaper were delivered on an average day in each period; and what the total cost of those newspapers was in each month in each period.

John Penrose: The cost for supplying 13 newspapers to the former Secretary of State from June 2009 to end of April 2010 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Month  Newspaper cost (£) 
			  2009  
			 June 175.50 
			 July (1)887.67 
			 August 0 
			 September 125.25 
			 October 130.75 
			 November 126.65 
			 December 90.90 
			   
			  2010  
			 January 117.96 
			 February 120.80 
			 March 149.45 
			 April 98.90 
			 (1) July 2009 figure includes two one-off yearly subscriptions. 
		
	
	On his appointment in May 2010 the Secretary of State cancelled all paper deliveries to his office.

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

John Penrose: The Department has not appointed any staff on secondment since 7 May 2010.

Digital Broadcasting: Broadcasting Reception

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has had discussions with the providers of Freeview on increasing their transmission capability to ensure a common level of service across the UK.

Edward Vaizey: After switchover 98.5% of households will be able to receive around 15 Freeview channels including all the public service broadcasting channels. In addition about 90% of households who get their signal from a main transmitter will receive services from all six multiplexes.
	Coverage of these services is a commercial matter for the operators concerned.
	For those who require more services, there are other options for receiving digital services via satellite or cable.

Equality: Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if his Department will take steps to assess the effects on  (a) equality of incomes,  (b) equality of assets and  (c) equality of access to services of measures relating to its expenditure under consideration in the Spending Review.

Jeremy Hunt: My Department has a programme of work underway to analyse the impact on equality of access to services arising from policies to be announced in the Spending Review.
	This will examine the impact under eight different strands-lower socio economic groups, BME (black and minority ethnicity), disability, gender, children and young people, religion, age and regional areas.
	I believe there will not be an impact on equality of incomes or equality of assets arising from my Department's Spending Review settlement.

Government Olympic Executive: Consultants

Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the administrative cost has been of each consultancy contract entered into by the Government Olympic Executive in each of the last five years.

Angus Robertson: The Department records the costs of consultancy contracts; however, it does not record separately the costs of administering the contracts into which it and the Government Olympic Executive have entered.

Grants: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport to which  (a) organisations and  (b) projects in Mid Sussex constituency his Department has made a grant in the last five years; and what the monetary value was of each such grant.

John Penrose: The Department does not collate this information for its arm's length bodies. Accordingly, I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Member for Mid Sussex.
	Copies of the replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Hillsborough Stadium

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much funding his Department plans to contribute towards the exercise to identify files relating to the Hillsborough disaster for release.

Jeremy Hunt: My Department was asked for £666,000 in support of the Hillsborough Independent Panel whose responsibilities include recommending files for release, and is contributing this full amount.

National Lottery: VAT

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has discussed with Ministerial colleagues on the use of Lottery funds for the payment of value added tax repairs to listed places of worship in Wales after the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme has come to an end.

John Penrose: No discussions have taken place as there is no current proposal to use lottery funds to replace the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which makes grants equivalent to the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings in primary use as places of worship. The future of the scheme will be determined during the forthcoming spending review.

Olympic Games 2012: Medals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to issue a commemorative medal to mark the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Hugh Robertson: There are no current plans to issue a commemorative medal to mark the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Royal Parks Agency

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the timescale is for the transfer of responsibility for the Royal Parks Agency from his Department to the Mayor of London.

John Penrose: The transfer of the Royal Parks will require primary legislation and we are therefore currently seeking a suitable legislative slot.

S4C: Finance

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Wales the representations he received from the Welsh Language Society on future funding arrangements for S4C.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport is in close contact with the Secretary of State for Wales on the future funding of S4C and Welsh language broadcasting.

Sports: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number of people in the London borough of Bexley who actively participate in sport each week.

Hugh Robertson: The latest figures from Sport England's Active People Survey estimate that 14% of people in Bexley were regularly participating in sport.
	This estimate is based on people participating in sport for at least three days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time.

Sports: Clubs

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to develop links between local sports clubs and schools.

Hugh Robertson: Sport England works in close partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport, and the Child Protection in Sport Unit, to strengthen links between schools and clubs.
	The Department is committed to increasing competitive sport in schools by introducing an Olympic and Paralympic style competition. The support offered by local sports clubs to schools will be an important element in making this a success.

St George's Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether his Department has made arrangements to mark St George's Day in 2012;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had on arrangements to mark St George's Day in 2011.

John Penrose: I am pleased to say that English Heritage (which is responsible to DCMS) plans to mark St George's Day with events at several properties around the country, the biggest of which will be a St George's Day festival at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. In addition the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will fly the St George's flag alongside the Union flag to celebrate St George's Day.
	I have had no discussions on other arrangements to mark St George's Day.

Telephone Services: Fraud

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to UK businesses of dial-through fraud;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to encourage telecommunication providers to prevent dial-through fraud.

Edward Vaizey: Dial-through fraud does not come within the remit of the DCMS.

UK Film Council: Portland

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the monetary value is of the UK Film Council's public affairs contract with Portland; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract and the related project brief.

Edward Vaizey: After the Government announced the abolition of the UK Film Council, I understand the organisation hired Portland Communications to provide external communications and media support, for which it received £60,000. The Film Council has said that the brief was confined to media monitoring and collating stories and comments, drafting internal and external communications, and the handling of international media and press inquiries. The Film Council has confirmed that this external support has since ceased.
	The terms and conditions of the contract are commercially confidential as Portland has refused permission to release the document.

Writers in Prison Network: Finance

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much  (a) Arts Council funding and  (b) other funding from the public purse was spent on the Writers in Prison Network Ltd in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Vaizey: In the current financial year the Writers in Prison Network (WIPN) will receive £165,163 through Arts Council England's Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) programme. In 2009-10 it received £161,620.
	The National Offenders Management Service provides WIPN with a grant of £80,000 per year. In addition, 17 prison establishments involved in the Writers in Residence scheme will each contribute £5,000 of their own resources.

Writers in Prison Network: Finance

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the objectives are of the funding provided from the public purse to Writers in Prison Network Ltd; and how performance against those objectives is measured.

Edward Vaizey: The Writers in Prisons Network (WIPN) promotes creative writing and reading across the prison system through a programme of writers' residencies. The initiative runs in partnership with the Home Office and the Prison Service.
	WIPN works very closely with each establishment to design a residency, identifying specific outcomes and objectives and/or particular groups of offenders the establishment wishes to target, and its work impacts on a wide range of the Government's Seven Pathways approach to reducing reoffending.
	The WIPN's overall objectives are monitored at an annual review meeting. The WIPN holds a Steering group meeting every three months with prison staff, including the Governor, Head of Learning and Skills and Writers in residence themselves to measure performance against the establishments' objectives.

TREASURY

Child Benefit: Uprating

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, column 94W, on child benefit, what estimate he has made of the average real terms change per child in 2010 prices of uprating child benefit payments in line with the retail prices index in  (a) 2011-12,  (b) 2012-13 and  (c) 2013-14.

David Gauke: The following table shows the estimated average change per week per child as a result of uprating the rates of Child Benefit by the change in the Consumer Prices Index rather than by the change in the Retail Prices Index.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14 
			 Forecast change 1st child 0.05 -0.10 -0.35 
			 Forecast change subsequent child 0.05 -0.05 -0.25

Child Tax Credit: Cumbernauld

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families receive the baby element of child tax credit in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency.

David Gauke: The number of families receiving the baby element in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Constituency is 635.
	This analysis is based on provisional information on families receiving tax credits as at April 2010. Further details about these data can be found in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical Analysis, April 2010". This is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm

Child Trust Fund

Richard Graham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total sum accumulated in child trust funds to date; and if he will estimate the proportion of that sum which has been contributed  (a) from the public purse and  (b) by individuals;
	(2)  if he will estimate the average gross investment return on child trust funds in each year since their inception;
	(3)  whether his Department holds information on the (a) investment and administration costs and ( b) performance of child trust funds.

Mark Hoban: Statistical data on a range of Child Trust Fund (CTF) information have been published annually; the latest statistics package was made available in November 2009 and can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/stats.htm
	The total value of funds in CTF accounts at 5 April 2009 was £1,985 million. An estimated £1,300 million of government payments had been made into accounts by this point. However, as the valuation of CTF accounts where the underlying investment is in stocks and shares will vary over time, it is not possible to determine how much of CTFs' current value is made up of government or individuals' contributions.
	Information is not available on the average investment return on sums invested in CTF accounts nor is there any information held on the investment costs, CTF providers' administration costs or performance of CTFs. Government's administrative costs for CTF were £4.8 million in 2008-09.

Child Trust Fund: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many children born to residents of Livingston constituency since 1 September 2002 have received a child trust fund payment since 2005;
	(2)  how much his Department has paid to child trust funds held in respect of children resident in Livingston constituency since January 2005.

Mark Hoban: Statistical information about Child Trust Funds is published on HM Revenue and Customs' website at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/stats.htm
	This shows that 7,824 children born on or before 6 April 2008 in the Livingston constituency have a Child Trust Fund account. The total amount of Government payments to Child Trust Funds is not available at constituency level.

Credit Unions: Finance

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the provision of financial support from the public purse to community-owned and community-based credit unions.

Mark Hoban: The Government are supportive of the role financial mutuals such as credit unions play in communities, and more broadly in the financial service sector.
	The Government are working with credit unions to evaluate how they can better serve their communities while remaining sustainable in the future.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Justine Greening: During 2009-10 the average daily rate paid for consultants was £641 (excluding VAT). The highest day rate was £1,696 (excluding VAT).
	Figures for the years prior to 2009-10 were not recorded centrally and can be identified only at disproportionate cost.
	Many contracts for consultancy services employ alternative pricing methods, for example, a fixed lump sum, where the day rates cannot be identified.
	HM Treasury has implemented OGC's Consultancy Value Programme to further ensure that consultants are only used where the necessary skills are not available within the Department and that value for money is assured when it is necessary to use consultants.
	The Government have pledged to reduce consultancy spend. The Department has implemented a consultancy freeze including across its agencies and non-departmental public bodies to ensure that consultants are only used when spend is of operational necessity.

Departmental Contracts

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value is of contracts his Department has awarded to each  (a) management consultancy and  (b) IT company since 7 May 2010.

Justine Greening: Since 7 May 2010 the Treasury has awarded:
	No management consultancy contracts; and
	Two IT contracts with values of £20,400 and £24,200 (both excluding VAT).

Departmental Empty Property

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated monetary value is of each vacant  (a) building and  (b) parcel of land owned by his Department in each region.

Justine Greening: The Treasury currently has no vacant  (a) building or  (b) parcel of land.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Justine Greening: No IT contracts have been abandoned by the Treasury between 2005-10.

Departmental Internet

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a risk assessment on child internet safety was conducted before the Spending Challenge website was launched.

Justine Greening: holding answer 8 September 2010
	The Spending Challenge website had a strict moderation policy and a dedicated team kept a close eye on content posted in order to remove the minority of ideas that were inappropriate as soon as possible.
	The moderation policy was as per industry standards in relation to this project and therefore no additional risk assessment regarding internet safety was conducted before the Spending Challenge website was launched.

Departmental Internet

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints his Department has received in relation to the content of contributions to its Spending Challenge website.

Justine Greening: The Government have received over 45,000 ideas on the Spending Challenge public website and the vast majority were constructive and helpful. As per the site's strict moderation policy, we have been clear that offensive ideas and comments are not welcome.
	The Spending Challenge website received almost 250,000 visitors. We estimate that around 25 complaints were received via direct correspondence with HM Treasury. In addition, we received 3,500 'flags' notifying moderators about items of inappropriate content via the Spending Challenge website.

Departmental Internet

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has received any complaints about the effect of contributions to the Spending Challenge website on  (a) people with disabilities and  (b) other minority groups; whether the police have informed his Department of any such complaints made to them; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: holding answer 13 September 2010
	 The Government have received over 100,000 ideas through the Spending Challenge website, the vast majority of which were constructive and helpful. The site has a strict moderation policy and we have been clear that offensive ideas and comments are not acceptable.
	A dedicated team keep a close eye on the content posted and remove the minority of ideas and comments that are not appropriate as soon as possible.
	The Government received a small number of complaints from individuals and organisations, including some which had been directed to the police, regarding comments submitted by individuals to the website. The Government have responded to these complaints and aimed to ensure that the minority of disruptive posts do not stop the public having their say on the Spending Challenge.

Departmental Internet

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many staff are employed in his Department's cross-departmental team to consider suggestions submitted to the Spending Challenge website;
	(2)  how many of his Department's staff are employed to consider suggestions submitted to the Spending Challenge website.

Danny Alexander: The number of staff deployed on the Spending Challenge has varied depending on the stage the Spending Challenge has been at over the summer. No new staff have been recruited to support this exercise, with staff being either re-deployed temporarily from other roles, or contributing to this exercise as part of or alongside their normal roles.
	One new team was temporarily established to undertake the initial sifting for the public sector element of the Spending Challenge exercise, with a maximum of 12 existing staff being reassigned from across Whitehall to this role during July and early August.

Departmental Internet

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many ideas have been submitted to his Department's Spending Challenge website.

Danny Alexander: Almost 64,000 ideas were submitted to the public sector element of the Spending Challenge, with over 45,000 further ideas being submitted through the general public element.

Departmental Legislation

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials of his Department are working on preparations for  (a) the Financial Reform Bill,  (b) the National Insurance Bill,  (c) the Terrorist Asset Freezing Bill,  (d) the Equitable Life Contributions Bill and  (e) the Office for Budget Responsibility Bill.

Justine Greening: The following table shows the number of HM Treasury (HMT) staff members working for at least part of their time on the bills named.
	
		
			   Number of HM Treasury staff 
			 Financial Reform Bill 13 
			 National Insurance Bill 3 
			 Terrorist Asset Freezing Bill 6 
			 Equitable Life Contributions Bill 2 
			 Office for Budget Responsibility Bill 5 
		
	
	Where appropriate HMT staff members will consult with other Government Departments and other teams within HMT.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resources and staff available to him in respect of the competing priorities of his post.

Justine Greening: As a Department, HM Treasury regularly monitors resource and staffing information. Information is provided to the Departmental Board chaired by the Chancellor, which last met on 22 July.
	In addition to this regular monitoring, the Department is currently undergoing a strategic review which will look at the resourcing and staffing needs for the future.

Departmental Operating Costs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to reduce the running costs of his Department since his appointment.

Justine Greening: The Treasury Group has committed to finding £6 million of savings from its administration costs this year as part of the Government's £6.2 billion savings programme. From 24 May it has implemented a freeze on external recruitment posts which are not business critical, and required ministerial approval for all new consultancy spend over £20,000 and any public sector salaries above £142,500. It has also completed a review of all programmes over £1 million with a significant IT element.
	As part of this, £200,000 will be saved from reducing the use of allocated ministerial cars, £125,000 from a 5% reduction in ministerial salaries and £400,000 from a reduction in bonus payments to members of the senior civil service. The Treasury has also revised its travel and expenses policies, to include tighter restrictions on the provision of refreshments for officials and on the use of first class travel and taxis.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 2001.

Justine Greening: Spending on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines by HM Treasury is shown in the following table. Information is only available since 2002-03 due to the introduction of a new accounting system at that time.
	
		
			   £000 
			 2002-03 155 
			 2003-04 143 
			 2004-05 119 
			 2005-06 179 
			 2006-07 109 
			 2007-08 142 
			 2008-09 199 
			 2009-10 119

Departmental Secondment

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff his Department has appointed on secondment since 7 May 2010; and from what organisation each such member of staff has been seconded.

Justine Greening: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Organisation  Number of seconde es  since 7 May 2010 
			 Financial Service Authority 3 
			 Bank of England 2 
			 Monitor (the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) 1 
			 PPP Arbitrator 1 
			 The Ministry of Finance for Japan 1

Departmental Travel

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since the Government took office; and how much each of these persons has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 498W, to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson).
	In addition, the Government publish on a quarterly basis the expenses incurred by senior officials, which includes use of the Government Car Service and other travel expenses.

EC Grants and Loans

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future mechanisms by which UK allocations from the European Regional Development Fund will be disbursed.

Justine Greening: holding answer 6 September 2010
	 The emergency Budget announced the abolition of regional development agencies, which currently administer European regional development funds in the English regions. A White Paper on Sub-National Growth to be published later this year will set out further details on the Government's approach to promoting sustainable growth and the role of local enterprise partnerships, including how the responsibility for functions previously undertaken by regional development agencies will be taken forward.

EU Budget

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis he has made of potential efficiency savings within the proposed EU budget for 2011.

Justine Greening: The Commission's draft EU budget for 2011 proposed a level of payments of €130 billion, an increase of 5.8% on 2010. This is out of step with the economic and fiscal reality across Europe. Within that, the Commission's proposal includes a 4.4% increase in EU institutions' administrative spending, to €8.3 billion. This is unacceptable at a time when Governments across Europe are taking difficult decisions to reduce the financial burden of their own administrations.
	There is clear potential for efficiency savings in this draft EU budget and the UK is therefore calling for a cash freeze in the 2011 Budget. In doing so, we have pushed against increased administrative spend for additional staff in the EU institutions, called for greater value for money in areas of expenditure such as agricultural market interventions under the Common Agricultural Policy and questioned budget increases which have been proposed without proper justification or in areas with a track record of poor implementation.

EU Budget

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the future level of the EU budget.

Justine Greening: Negotiation of the EU budget for the period 2014-20 is expected to begin in 2011. At the negotiation, the Government will strongly defend the UK's national interests and ensure the EU budget is focused on those areas where the EU adds value.
	Meanwhile, the EU budget for the period 2007-13 was agreed by the previous Government in 2005, meaning the UK's contributions cannot easily be reduced. However, the Chancellor and Treasury Ministers use every available opportunity, including ECOFIN to impress upon counterparts the importance of containing the cost of the EU budget to the UK and delivering value for money. For example, the Chancellor has pressed for a cash freeze in the EU budget for 2011.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to allocate future revenues raised through the auctioning of allowances under the  (a) second and  (b) third phase of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: Revenues from the auctioning of EU ETS allowances accrue to the consolidated fund and are allocated against general expenditure.

EU Law

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department work  (a) full-time and  (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation or administration of EU legislation and consequent policies.

Justine Greening: The negotiation, implementation and administration of EU legislation and policies impacts on many areas of HM Treasury's responsibilities. The number of officials working within HM Treasury on these matters can vary: as of 23 September 2010, around 80 officials were spending most or all of their time on EU business. This figure excludes those currently seconded to EU institutions.

Government Departments: Grants

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances a formal funding agreement is required for the award by Departments of funds from the public purse to external organisations.

David Gauke: It is always good practice to document any such agreement. It helps to ensure certainty and avoid doubt. This is in line with the responsibilities of Accounting Officers set out in Managing Public Money, notably chapter 3.

Income Tax: Scotland

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from businesses based in England and Wales on the likely effects on them of implementation of the Calman Commission recommendations for a separate income tax rate in Scotland, with particular reference to dual PAYE schemes.

David Gauke: The Government committed to implementing the recommendations of the Calman Commission in its Coalition Agreement and will bring forward legislation later this year. It has established an Implementation Group whose members are stakeholders from across the UK so that the impacts on both individuals and businesses can be understood and any burdens minimised. That Group is meeting for a second time in early November and will be informed by a technical group who will look specifically at the income tax issues. Aside from those discussions, the Chancellor has received no specific representations in relation to the effects of the implementation of the Calman Commission's recommendations on a separate income tax rate in Scotland.

Inflation

Mary Macleod: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the likely effect on the economy of not meeting the two per cent. target level of inflation.

Justine Greening: It is the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England, under its monetary policy remit, which is responsible for judging the outlook for inflation. The bank's August 2010 Inflation Report provides a full assessment.
	The MPC, like other independent forecasters such as the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), judge that temporary factors are contributing to the current elevated rate of inflation. The MPC's remit allows it to look through short-term movements in inflation and its central view is that inflation should continue to move back towards target over time.
	The OBR's forecast for GDP growth at the June Budget was for it to rise from 2010, reaching 2.9% in 2013, and then easing in 2014 and 2015 due to demographic changes.

Low Incomes: Females

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the contribution of the Minister for Equalities of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 153, what new ways of assessing the potential impact of Budget measures on women his Department plans to explore.

David Gauke: At the June Budget this Government took unprecedented steps in publishing more detailed analysis of the distributional impacts of the Budget than has even been done before. In addition to this, and as stated by the Minister for Equalities at the Adjournment debate on public expenditure reductions, the Treasury also remains open to exploring new ways of assessing and presenting the potential impact of Budget measures.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 5 July and 6 August 2010 on his constituent, Dr Warhurst.

Justine Greening: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 28 June and 4 August 2010 on his constituent, Mr Neppl.

David Gauke: I replied to the hon. Member on 7 September 2010.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Warley of 6 July 2010 on Mr Lamont.

David Gauke: I replied to the right hon. Member on 31 August 2010.

Monetary Policy

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent assessment is of the effect of quantitative easing on the structure of the economy.

Mark Hoban: The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has operational responsibility for monetary policy. The MPC decides on use of measures, including the asset purchase facility (APF), in order to target 2% inflation, as measured by the 12-month change in the consumer prices index (CPI).
	The May 2009 'Inflation Report' explains how quantitative easing works to impact the economy through various channels including higher money supply, lower long-term interest rates and rising asset prices. An assessment of the impact on asset prices, in particular on the gilt market, is made in the May 2010 'Inflation Report' which says:
	"asset purchases appear to be having a sizeable downward effect on gilt yields...equity and corporate bond prices have increased significantly since early 2009. That is likely, in part, to reflect the exceptional monetary stimulus."

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs plans to take to ensure that correspondence sent to individuals who have underpaid tax as a result of recent miscalculations in tax liability in the PAYE system is easy to understand and written in plain language.

David Gauke: Following customer feedback HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has recently improved the guidance notes and flyer which accompany the PAYE tax reconciliation form P800. Copies are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/helpsheets/p800-notes.pdf
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/p800/flyer.pdf

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Extra Statutory Concession A19 is available to those who receive tax demands as a result of the recent miscalculations of tax liability under the PAYE system.

David Gauke: Extra Statutory Concession A19 allows HMRC in certain circumstances to forgo the collection of income tax and capital gains tax underpayments in certain circumstances. The concession is available in circumstances where all the information has been provided to HMRC and it has had the opportunity to address it. Individuals can find further guidance at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/esc/esc.htm
	The concession, which is well established, does not apply that often in practice, and I do not want people to build up their hopes that it will offer some kind of panacea that would be unfair on taxpayers.

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs has taken any disciplinary action against staff as a result of recent miscalculations in tax liability identified in its PAYE system.

David Gauke: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs has recruited additional staff to deal with individuals affected by recent miscalculations of tax liability in the PAYE system.

David Gauke: HMRC has not recruited additional staff to deal with the end of year reconciliation process. HMRC will redeploy existing resources to HMRC helplines, if required.

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if HM Revenue and Customs will establish a dedicated  (a) Member of Parliament hotline and  (b) public helpline to deal with enquiries in relation to the overpayment and underpayment of PAYE tax.

David Gauke: A dedicated MP helpline has been in operation since 15 September. Customers already have the national helpline dedicated to support their PAYE queries.
	If there is any doubt about the details included in the calculation, the customer should contact HMRC on 0845 3000 627 or write to HMRC at the address shown on the calculation so that the matter can be investigated.

PAYE

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the largest amount  (a) underpaid and  (b) overpaid by an individual has been as a result of recent miscalculations of tax liability made by HM Revenue and Customs in the PAYE system.

David Gauke: The information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Population: Wells Somerset

Tessa Munt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate from the tax and benefit records held by his Department the number of people aged 16 years and over resident in Wells constituency; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available.
	No estimates have been made at a constituency level of the gap between the population figures and the number of individuals paying tax or claiming HMRC benefits.

Poverty: Children

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether an analysis of the effects of implementation of measures announced in budget statements and pre- budget reports will be included in the annual Child Poverty Report to be made to Parliament under the Child Poverty Act 2010.

Justine Greening: For the first time Budget 2010 produced an analysis of the overall impact of tax and welfare measures. Work is under way to define what the annual Child Poverty report will cover.
	The Government are developing a long-term strategy taking into account the causes as well as the symptoms of poverty. The right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) has been asked to lead a review on poverty and life chances in the UK, including how to measure and make progress on non-financial aspects of poverty.

Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that the implementation of the proposals in the  (a) June 2010 Budget and  (b) Spending Review will protect the vulnerable;
	(2)  what mechanisms he plans to put in place to assess the effects of the implementation of the proposals contained in the  (a) Budget and  (b) Spending Review on the most vulnerable.

Justine Greening: The June 2010 Budget announced a package of reforms to tackle unaffordable spending and support the most vulnerable, with measures announced in the Budget having no measurable impact on child poverty over the next two years. At this Budget the Government also showed their commitment to transparency by taking unprecedented steps in publishing more detailed analysis of the distributional impacts of the Budget than had ever been done before.
	Regarding the spending review, the document "Spending Review Framework" sets out that the Government will:
	"look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off" (2.2 page 7).
	The Government also produces the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication which provides details of composition and the number of households with low income levels. This, along with other data sources, are reviewed regularly to help the Government understand the impacts of policy change.

Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the most recent Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis of the impact of  (a) Budget and  (b) Spending Review measures on (i) low income families, (ii) the economic recovery and (iii) the overall Budget objectives.

Justine Greening: The Treasury welcomes the innovative approach the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has taken to its revised analysis of the Budget and is open to exploring new ways of assessing the potential impact of Budget measures. However as the IFS states, in order to include previously un-modelled reforms, the report makes a number of assumptions which add uncertainty to the analysis. It is important that policy is informed by analysis that is proven to be robust. The Treasury has relied on a well-established methodology, similar to that adopted by the IFS in its post-Budget analysis. On the basis of this robust approach, the Budget is progressive and has no measurable impact on child poverty over the next two years.
	The Government take account of a range of external views, including those of the IFS, when making their assessment of the UK economy and in policy formulation. The interim Office for Budget Responsibility provided an assessment of the UK economy, which took account of Budget measures on 22 June.
	It is not appropriate to pre-judge the outcomes of the spending review process, but it should be noted that the Government set out in the spending review framework that they will "look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions."

Public Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake an analysis of the impact of options for spending reductions under the spending review relative to household composition.

Justine Greening: The Government set out in its Spending Review Framework document that:
	In light of its commitments to fairness and social mobility, the Government will look closely at the effects of its decisions on different groups in society, especially the least well off, and on different regions.

Public Sector: Minimum Wage

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of introducing a minimum wage of £7.60 for all public sector employees.

David Gauke: Using data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the Treasury estimates that the introduction of a minimum wage of £7.60 for all public sector employees would increase the public sector wage bill by around £690 million per annum.

Public Sector: Procurement

Ian Swales: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value of public sector contracts awarded in Redcar constituency was in each of the last five years.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply.
	Local and central government bodies have not in the past been required to report the location of suppliers to whom they award contracts. So this information is not held centrally.
	Going forward, it is coalition policy to publish transparently large central Government contracts online, and from these data it will be possible to identify the location of suppliers.
	Redcar and Cleveland Borough council already publish current and past contract details on their website at:
	https://www.qtegov.com/procontract/contracts.nsf/fcontent?ReadForm&requesttype=view&requestview=authority &region=&authority=ORG-QTLE-75FDAN&sd=&stype=&rv= authority&start=1&count=10&contentid=1.008

Revenue and Customs: Standards

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of HM Revenue and Customs call centres and helplines; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The performance and efficiency of HMRC contact centres (which include the tax credit helpline) was recently assessed by the National Audit Office. The National Audit Office findings "Handling Telephone Enquiries" was published on 15 January 2010 with the subsequent Committee of Public Accounts report published on 25 March 2010.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of telephone calls to HM Revenue and Customs were answered in each of the last 12 months.

David Gauke: The proportion of telephone calls to HMRC's centrally managed network of contact centres answered in each of the last 12 months, to June 2010, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  HMRC contact centre call attempts 
			   Answered by advisers (percentage)  Handled by IVR( 1 ) (percentage)  Handled (total percentage)  Call attempts (million) 
			 June 2010 34.3 7.3 41.6 12.8 
			 May 2010 32.4 8.7 41.1 13.3 
			 April 2010 38.8 7.5 46.3 11.2 
			 March 2010 53.9 11.3 65.2 8.5 
			 February 2010 72.5 9.6 82.1 5.8 
			 January 2010 60.8 11.5 72.2 8.3 
			 December 2009 80.2 12.4 92.6 3.8 
			 November 2009 82.0 9.1 91.1 4.7 
			 October 2009 77.1 11.4 88.5 5.6 
			 September 2009 65.3 8.4 73.7 7.2 
			 August 2009 64.9 7.9 72.8 6.3 
			 July 2009 59.4 8.7 68.1 9.6 
			 (1 )IVR = Interactive voice response/automated messages on the telephone call steering menu.

Tax Allowances

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who will have earnings of below £6,475 in 2010-11;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average amount of additional income to people in each income decile from the planned increase in the personal tax allowance;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of the total additional income from the planned increase in the personal tax allowance which will go to people in each income decile;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of the total additional income from the planned increase in the personal tax allowance which will go to those earning between £6,475 and £7,475.

David Gauke: The June 2010 Budget announced a £1,000 increase in the personal allowance for under 65s to £7,475 in 2011-12, with benefits focused on individuals on low and middle incomes through accompanying changes to the basic rate limit and national insurance upper earnings and profit limits.
	As a result of these measures 880,000 of the lowest income taxpayers will be removed from tax altogether. It is estimated that those on incomes below £7,475 account for around 0.8% of total incomes above the personal allowance before the Budget announcement and 1.4% of the total benefits. These estimates are based on HMRC's personal tax model, based on 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes data projected to 2011-12.
	Estimated impacts of these Budget announcements for all households by equivalised income decile in 2011-12 are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Equivalised income decile( 1)  Average gain from combined income tax and national insurance changes( 2)  Proportion of total change 
			   £ per year  % net income  
			 Bottom 30 0.2 2.1 
			 2 (£14,000) 70 0.4 4.8 
			 3 (£16,700) 100 0.5 7.4 
			 4 (£18,900) 120 0.6 8.8 
			 5 (£21,300) 160 0.6 11.1 
			 6 (£24,200) 190 0.7 13.6 
			 7 (£27,400) 230 0.7 16.3 
			 8 (£31,600) 230 0.6 16.1 
			 9 (£37,600) 230 0.5 16.1 
			 Top (£48,500) 50 0.1 3.9 
			 All 140 0.4 100.0 
			 (1) Estimated lower income bound (for a couple household with no children) for each decile is shown in brackets.  (2) Excluding the June 2010 Budget announcement to increase the threshold for employer national insurance contributions by £21 a week above indexation. 
		
	
	Average household gains are lower than average in the lower deciles of the household income distribution because there are fewer basic rate taxpayers per household.
	These estimates have been produced using HM Treasury's tax and benefit model, based on expenditure and food survey data projected to 2011-12. These estimates relate to changes to the personal allowance and national insurance upper limits announced in Budget 2010 only. Based on these same sources, it is estimated that around 9 million individuals have total income subject to income tax less than 6,475 in 2010-11.
	Budget 2010 Annex A provides a fuller analysis of changes to personal tax, tax credits, benefits, and indirect tax in 2012-13.

Tax Evasion: VAT

Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies were liquidated consequent on proceedings for evasion of value added tax in each of the last five years; how many such companies were issued with notices under  (a) section 160,  (b) section 161 and  (c) both sections 160 and 161 before action was taken; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Where HMRC seeks liquidation of a company it will be as a result of unpaid tax debt and only where it really believes that it is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer and ensure fairness to those who pay their tax on time.
	There is no central record to distinguish cases where the debt leading to liquidation was attributable to the evasion of VAT.
	That information could be obtained only by re-examining the details of each case individually and only at disproportionate cost.

Tax Evasion: VAT

Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria HM Revenue and Customs applies when taking the decision not to issue companies with section 160 and 161 notices before a company is investigated for alleged value added tax evasion; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HMRC publishes public notices, codes of practice and factsheets to explain its processes so that taxpayers have the information to understand how they should manage their tax affairs and ensure their rights are protected.
	Public Notices 160 and 161 set out HMRC's practice in relation to civil inquiries where it suspects tax irregularities as a result of dishonesty. They are issued to businesses where HMRC has information that leads it to suspect the trader of dishonest conduct which, if proven, may result in the imposition of a civil evasion penalty. The notices detail the circumstances in which they are considered appropriate.
	HMRC has a variety of other remedies available to deal with suspected evasion, up to and including criminal investigation. The Department's criminal investigation policy is published on the HMRC website.

Tax Yields

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent assessment is of the relationship between the number of staff employed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the amount of tax revenue obtained by HMRC.

David Gauke: holding answer 13 September 2010
	 The amount of tax revenue received by the Government in any given year depends on a number of factors, including:
	the state of the economy eg the level of personal and corporate income, consumption, saving and investment;
	the structure of the tax system eg the rates, thresholds and reliefs in operation;
	the level of compliance by taxpayers; and
	HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) administration of the tax system, and the productivity of its compliance activities.
	Through the use of new technology and increases in staff productivity HMRC has increased the amount of revenue bought in as a result of its compliance activities from £7.5 billion in 2005-06 to £12 billion in 2008-09.
	Over the period April 2005 to April 2010, HMRC has reduced the number of full-time equivalent staff it employs by 23% (excluding the transfer of 4,641 FTE staff to the UKBA).

Taxation

Lorely Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to issue his remit letter to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in respect of 2010-11; with reference to the letter of 20 July 2009, what steps HMRC has taken actively to manage and reduce the £27.7 billion stock of tax debt over the course of the year; what target HMRC proposed to reduce debt over the CSR 07 period; how progress against that target was monitored; what progress HMRC has made towards meeting that target; what steps HMRC took to prioritise resources to protect tax revenues through tackling abusive avoidance, evasion and non compliance; and what progress HMRC has made against its target to reduce the tax gap by 2010-11.

David Gauke: The Government will set out their performance and reporting framework for Departments, including HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), alongside the Spending Review.
	In relation to the remit given to HMRC by the previous Chancellor in July 2009, I refer the hon. Member to HMRC's consolidated accounts for 2009-10, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accs-0910.pdf
	The 2009-10 annual accounts state that:
	Receivables as reported in the HMRC Trust Statement fell from £27.7 billion at 31 March 2009 to £26.1 billion at 31 March 2010-a 5.8% reduction.
	The Department has a target to reducing the proportion of debts remaining by 8% at 30 days old and 13% at 90 days compared with 2008-09.
	Performance against this target will be reported in HMRC's annual accounts for 2010-11 next year.
	As announced in the Budget in June HMRC will, this year, be using debt collection agencies to collect £140 million of additional revenue from existing tax debts. HMRC tailor their risk-based interventions according to customer behaviour and focus on the most significant risks to the collection of tax revenues.
	HMRC's compliance strategy and its approach to reducing the tax gap is set out in Protecting Tax Revenues 2009, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2009/protect-tax-revenue-5450.pdf
	Progress against HMRC's target to close the tax gap by at least an additional £4 billion in 2010-11 will be reported in HMRC's future annual accounts.
	The Government have recently announced new plans to tackle non-compliance in the tax system by making £900 million available to raise additional revenue from those who undermine the tax system. As part of these plans, funding will be available for placing up to £1 billion per year of tax debt out to private debt collection agencies.

Taxation: Aviation

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made on his review of the taxation of air travel; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: holding answer 13 September 2010
	 The Budget announced that the Government will explore changes to the aviation tax system, including switching from a per-passenger to a per-plane duty. Major changes will be subject to consultation. Announcements on tax are made in the usual manner.

Taxation: Business

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects HM Revenue and Customs to conclude its review of the release of statistical information on time to pay arrangements.

David Gauke: HMRC intends to publish statistical information relating to the Business Payment Support Service in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (2009). A copy of the code can be found at:
	www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/code-of-practice-for-official-statistics.pdf
	Publication, which has been pre-announced on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/updates/oct10.pdf
	is currently planned for 9.30 am on 29 October 2010.

Taxation: Graduates

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average lifetime tax revenue that will accrue to the Exchequer from a  (a) man and  (b) woman who completed tertiary education in the last 12 months and is living in (i) the UK, (ii) the North East and (iii) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

David Gauke: HMRC administrative data on incomes and income tax do not include information on education level.
	Information on income tax for all taxpayers by age and gender (Table 3.2), by income (Table 2.5), by region (Table 3.13) and by Parliamentary Constituency (Table 3.15) can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	and
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm

Taxation: Rebates

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedure taxpayers receiving a demand for tax underpaid in a previous year will be required to follow to demonstrate that they have no liability; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Individuals with concerns about the details of a PAYE end-of-year reconciliation calculation should contact HMRC on 0845 3000 627 or write to HMRC at the address shown on the calculation so that the matter can be investigated.

Taxation: Rebates

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether taxpayers whose net income for a previous year is reduced in the current tax calculation exercise will have their benefits for that year adjusted if necessary; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	Income-related benefits such as pension credit, income support, jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance take account of income after tax. If someone receives a change in their tax liability as a result of the reconciliation exercise, they can ask for their benefit to be looked at again. Whether or not any benefit adjustment is made will depend on the circumstances of each case.

VAT: Registration

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs on the issuing of value added tax registration numbers to new businesses; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers have discussions with the chief executive of HMRC on a regular basis as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
	While HMRC aims to issue VAT registration numbers as quickly as possible, it is necessary to balance the speed of registration against the need to undertake further checks on some applications to safeguard the VAT system against fraud.

Waste Disposal: Whitsand Bay

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any payments have been made to the Crown Estate for the deposition of dredged sediment at the Rame Head offshore disposal site, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall.

Justine Greening: The sum of £500 was paid to the Crown Estate in 2006 in acknowledgement of the proprietorial rights and interests in the area concerned.

Welfare Tax Credits

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of household income is above which a household with  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three children will cease to receive tax credits from April 2012.

David Gauke: Tax credits are tailored to each family's specific set of circumstances in relation to the number of adults, the number of hours worked, the age of adults, numbers of children, numbers of disabled workers/children, and the level of child care each family is using. As a result there is no single level of household income beyond which families with one, two, or three children will cease to receive tax credits.
	The tax credits entitlement questionnaire, which is available on the HMRC website, provides indicative entitlements on the basis of various sets of circumstances.

Welfare Tax Credits

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value is of each tax credit which is now to be uprated with reference to the consumer price index; and what estimate he has made of the monetary value of each in 2014-15  (a) with and  (b) without the change in uprating method.

David Gauke: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Value in 2011-12 under CPI uprating  Value in 2014-15 under CPI uprating  Value in 2014-15 under RPI uprating 
			  WTC elements
			 Basic element 1,980 2,120 2,180 
			 Second adult element 1,945 2,080 2,150 
			 Lone parent element 1,945 2,080 2,150 
			 30 hour element 815 880 905 
			 Severe disability element 1,130 1,210 1,245 
			 50 plus element (16-30 hours) 1,360 0 0 
			 50 plus element (30 hours) 2,025 0 0 
			 Disability element 2,645 2,825 2,915 
			 Childcare max-1 child - - - 
			 Childcare max-2+ child - - - 
			 
			  CTC elements
			 Child element 2,520 2,760 2,840 
			 Disabled child element 2,795 2,985 3,075 
			 Enhanced disabled child element 1,130 1,210 1,245

Working Tax Credit: Cumbernauld

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency receive the 50 plus element of working tax credit.

David Gauke: This information is unavailable as it could lead to the disclosure of information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.
	Provisional information on families receiving tax credits as at April 2010 can be found in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical Analysis, April 2010". This is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm

CABINET OFFICE

Charities: Fraud

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost to registered charities of fraudulent charity collections.

Nick Hurd: Licensing of public charitable collections is generally a matter for local licensing authorities in England and Wales. Records are not kept centrally of the number of licences issued whether for street or house to house collections and it would not be practicable to do so. Similarly estimates of the annual cost to charities of fraudulent charity collections are not kept, but charity sector estimates range between £5 million and £14 million.

Charities: Private Education

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations he has received on the charitable status of independent schools; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I have received a small number of written representations from interested stakeholders about the charitable status of independent schools, and the Charity Commission's guidance on the public benefit requirement.
	The Attorney-General has made a reference to the First Tier Tribunal (Charity) asking it to consider the operation of the public benefit requirement in relation to fee-charging charitable schools. As this matter is now before the Tribunal, it would not be appropriate to make a statement.

Civil Servants

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which civil servants have attended  (a) the Chemistry Club,  (b) the Climate Change Forum and  (c) other networking events in the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office does not keep a central record of which civil servants have attended networking events. Departments are required on a quarterly basis to publish information about hospitality recorded by civil servants at Director General level and above.

Civil Servants: North East and North West

Ian Swales: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants employed by  (a) Government Departments,  (b) executive agencies and  (c) other Government bodies had their primary place of employment in (i) Redcar constituency, (ii) the North East and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many civil servants employed by (a) Government departments, (b) executive agencies and (c) other Government employers had their primary place of employment in i) Redcar constituency, ii) the North East and iii) the North West in each of the last five years. (15839).
	I regret that estimates of the numbers of civil servants employed by Government departments, executive agencies and other Government employers by constituency are not available.
	Estimates for the North East and North West are based on the Mandate collection (2005-2006) which provides approximately 90 per cent coverage of Civil Service departments and agencies and the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (2007-2009) which provides 100 per cent coverage. The requested data are attached at Annex A.
	 Annex A
	
		
			  Civil service employment, Government Departments, executive agencies and other Government bodies in the North East and North West( 1) , all employees 
			  Headcount 
			   2005( 2,3)  2006( 2,3)  2007( 4)  2008( 4)  2009( 5) 
			   North East  North West  North East  North West  North East  North West  North East  North West  North East  North West 
			 Government Departments 18,540 22,080 18,170 23,430 16,920 23,090 16,480 22,800 17,540 23,690 
			 Executive agencies 17,190 35,900 16,440 33,020 19,580 40,170 18,340 40,360 16,880 37,210 
			 Other government bodies 80 1,470 80 1,430 140 1,740 120 1,690 1,720 4,000 
			
			 All employees 35,800 59,440 34,690 57,880 36,640 64,990 35,440 64,850 36,130 64,900 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten.  (2) Mandate Data Collection only-incomplete coverage of civil service departments.  (3) Survey reference date 1 April.  (4) Survey reference date 30 September.  (5) Survey reference date 31 March.   Source:  Annual Civil Service Employment survey and Mandate Data Collection.

Civil Servants: Resignations

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants identified as  (a) from black and/or minority ethnic backgrounds and  (b) disabled left employment before retirement age in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11 to date.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 21 September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many Civil Servants identified as (a) from black and /or minority ethnic backgrounds and (b) disabled left employment before retirement age in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11 to date. (15852)
	Civil Service Statistics are published annually by the Office for National Statistics on the National Statistics website. Since April 2010, there has been no default retirement age across the Civil Service.
	Statistics for 2010-11 have not yet been published. The requested data for years 2008 and 2009 are attached at Annex A.
	 Annex A
	
		
			  Civil Service Employment; Civil Service leavers before retirement age( 1, 2) -All employees 
			  Headcount 
			   2008( 3)  2009( 3) 
			 Black and/or minority ethnic 2,790 2,160 
			 Disabled 1,970 1,710 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten. (2) For the purpose of this analysis retirement age has been taken to be 65 years. (3 )Survey reference date 31 March.  Source: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Francis Maude: The information requested for Cabinet Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	In May 2010 the Government announced a freeze on new consultancy expenditure. Any exception to this freeze (where the estimated value is over £20,000) must be approved by the relevant Minister. In the case of the Cabinet Office, the Minister for the Cabinet Office approves any exception to the consultancy freeze. Expenditure on consultancy is only allowed if the consultancy is deemed to be operationally necessary, or the work cannot be done by in-house staff. All consultancy contracts are subject to a review every three months, for a maximum of nine months. Where contracts go beyond nine months, they must be submitted for approved to the Efficiency and Reform Group for consideration by the Chief Secretary and the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Departmental Empty Property

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

Francis Maude: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each such year.

Francis Maude: The information requested for Cabinet Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Responsibilities

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which  (a) individuals,  (b) companies and  (c) other organisations he has met in an official capacity since taking office.

Francis Maude: The Government are committed to publishing information on Ministers' meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis. Information for the first period (13 May to 31 July 2010) will be published shortly.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Francis Maude: All Cabinet Office management units have delegated responsibility for spend against their training budgets. The individual management units decide on appropriate training to meet their business needs. Information on attendance and cost is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: Billing

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish all Government department invoice payment performance records on a monthly basis in a single location.

Francis Maude: As set out in the Coalition Programme, greater transparency across Government is at the heart of our shared commitment to enable the public to hold politicians and public bodies to account and to reduce the deficit and deliver better value for money in public spending. I agree that this should extend to invoice payment performance records, and I have asked officials in my Department, the Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to report urgently to the Transparency Board on how the hon. Member's suggestion can be implemented.

Government Departments: Internet

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many websites operated by Government departments there were in each year since 2006.

Francis Maude: No central records are held with accurate figures for the total number of websites operated by central Government and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) going back to 2006. Many websites were not reported and through work done by the coalition Government from 11 May 2010, we have already identified a further 81. The current number of open websites reported by Government Departments on 10 August 2010 is 742 that are operated by Departments and their NDPBs plus 103 operated by museums, charities, limited companies and partnerships in which the Government have a role. I shall be announcing plans alongside the spending review to close up to 75% of sites for which the Government are responsible.

Government Departments: Internet

Richard Harrington: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of Government expenditure on websites paid for from the public purse in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the monthly average number of visits to Government websites;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of websites funded from the public purse which generate revenue.

Nick Hurd: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to write to my hon. Friend.
	 Letter from Mark Lund, dated 6 October 2010:
	As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions 15936 and 15937 regarding Government websites.
	 PQ15936/7
	Expenditure on websites is unacceptably high and an announcement will be made as part of the Spending Review of how it is planned to cut costs substantially. In line with Public Accounts Committee recommendations in their 16th report of session 2007/8 Government on the Internet: Progress in delivering information and services online (March 2008), department-run websites reported costs and usage for 2009/10, which may be found on the COI website at
	www.coi.gov.uk/websitemetrics2009-10
	Arm's-length bodies are required to report this financial year and this will be published in June 2011.
	 PQ15938
	This information is not held centrally. I am however pleased to report that the number of websites will significantly reduce and an announcement about all those that will close will be made as part of the Spending Review.

Government Departments: Pay

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much each Department paid in bonus awards in 2009.

Francis Maude: Reward arrangements, including the criteria for non-consolidated performance pay, below the senior civil service are delegated to individual Departments and agencies. As such data on non-consolidated performance payments below the SCS are not held centrally and would be available only at a disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: Press Cuttings

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much  (a) each Government Department and  (b) the Government as a whole spent on press cuttings services in each of the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office does not keep a central record of all Government Departments' spend on press cuttings services. Any such records if they are held would be a matter for each Government Department.

Government Departments: Procurement

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department takes when a Government department breaches competitive tendering guidelines.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office provides guidance and support to help Departments comply with public sector procurement rules; assists them in taking remedial action when necessary; and promulgates lessons learned to prevent a recurrence of poor practice.
	We provide a feedback service for suppliers and other parties to escalate concerns over poor procurement practice, including breaches of competitive tendering guidelines.
	In cases where the European Commission instigates infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom for a failure to comply with procurement rules we work with the procurement authority to resolve the issues raised.

Government Departments: Procurement

Mike Freer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department has taken to encourage central procurement of  (a) stationery,  (b) information technology and  (c) office supplies across Government Departments.

Francis Maude: We have mandated that all spending on common goods and service categories by Government Departments should take place through centrally agreed contracting vehicles. This includes the procurement of office supplies, including stationery, and ICT hardware.

Government Departments: Publicity

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what  (a) legislation and  (b) guidance issued by his Department governs the content of publications funded from the public purse.

Francis Maude: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) There is no legislation "issued by" Cabinet Office governing the content of publications
	 (b) Guidance issued by Cabinet Office that governs the content of publications is available on The Cabinet Office website in the form of a downloadable pdf. There is a writing guide, editorial guide and publication guidelines for consistency in production of publications.

Government Departments: Recruitment

Ben Wallace: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was spent on advertising jobs in central Government Departments in  The Guardian and  The Observer newspapers in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2009.

Francis Maude: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many individuals resident in  (a) Great Britain,  (b) London,  (c) the London borough of Lambeth and  (d) Streatham constituency had been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months in each month from January to September 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many individuals resident in (a) Great Britain, (b) London, (c) the London Borough of Lambeth and (d) Streatham constituency had been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months in each month from January to September 2010. (15806)
	Table 1 provides this information from January 2010 to the latest available period of August 2010.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1. Numbe r of persons claiming Jobseeker' s Allowance for more than 12 months resident in (a) Great Britain, (b) London, (c) London  b orough of Lambeth, (d) Streatham constituency 
			   Great Britain  London  Lambeth  Streatham 
			 January 2010 225,685 31,640 1,995 720 
			 February 2010 236,630 32,795 2,095 740 
			 March 2010 243,665 33,885 2,175 775 
			 April 2010 249,780 34,860 2,215 790 
			 May 2010 252,170 35,690 2,285 815 
			 June 2010 250,725 35,965 2,335 830 
			 July 2010 248,435 36,080 2,400 855 
			 August 2010 247,510 36,595 2,450 865 
			  Note: Data rounded to nearest 5  Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system

National Citizenship Service

Stella Creasy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish his estimate of the cost of the National Citizenship Service pilots; and what timescale his Department has set for their delivery.

Nick Hurd: On 22 July, the Prime Minister announced that the National Citizen Service pilots will take place from June to September 2011, following the end of the exam period, and will last for seven to eight weeks. This is subject to the outcome of the spending review.
	The competitive commissioning process is underway and the Cabinet Office will have information on the cost of the pilots once this process is complete.

Older People

David Amess: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) males and  (b) females there were aged (i) 99, (ii) 100, (iii) 101, (iv) 102, (v) 103, (vi) 104, (vii) 105 and (viii) 106 years of age in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking: how many (a) males and (b) females there were aged (i) 99, (ii) 100, (iii) 101, (iv) 102, (v) 102, (vi) 103, (vi) 104, (vii) 105 and (viii) 106 years of age in England and Wales in each of the last three years (15638).
	The most recent year available is 2008. Age information is available up to age 104 and grouped for 105 and over. The table below contains the estimated number of centenarians for the latest three years, 2006 to 2008.
	
		
			  Mid-year estimates for the very elderly population by age and sex, 2006 - 08, England and Wales 
			   Males  Females 
			  Age  2006  2007  2008  2006  2007  2008 
			 99 900 1,000 1,100 4,900 5,200 5,300 
			 100 500 600 600 3,100 3,400 3,500 
			 101 300 300 300 1,900 2,000 2,200 
			 102 100 200 200 1,100 1,200 1,300 
			 103 100 100 100 600 700 700 
			 104 0 0 0 300 400 400 
			 105 and over 0 0 0 300 400 400 
			 Total 2,000 2,200 2,300 12,400 13,300 13,700 
			  Note:  Figures rounded to nearest hundred, may not add exactly due to this rounding.  Source:  Office for National Statistics.

Population

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the most recent estimate of the Office for National Statistics is of the population of  (a) the UK,  (b) England,  (c) Scotland,  (d) Wales and  (e) Northern Ireland in (i) 2020, (ii) 2030, (iii) 2050 and (iv) the most distant date for which an estimate has been made.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the most recent estimate is of the population of (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland in (i) 2020, (ii) 2030, (iii) 2050 and (iv) the most distant date for which an estimate has been made. (15719)
	The most recent population projections of the UK and its constituent countries are based on the mid-year population estimates; for 2008. Population projections for the years 2020, 2030, 2050 and 2108 are given in the table below.
	
		
			  Projected population of UK and constituent countries for selected years, 2020 to 2108 
			  Million 
			   2020  2030  2050  2108 
			 United Kingdom 66.5 70.6 76.8 92.5 
			 England 56.0 59.7 65.7 81.1 
			 Wales 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.9 
			 Scotland 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.5 
			 Northern Ireland 1.9 2.0 2.1 2:0 
			  Source:  Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	National population projections are available from the Office for National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8519
	Population projections become increasingly uncertain the further they are carried forward, particularly for smaller geographic areas, and therefore long-term projections should be treated with great caution.

Public Sector: Procurement

Peter Lilley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the cost to businesses of complying with pre-qualification requirements for tendering for public sector procurement projects.

Francis Maude: No such estimate has been made. However, the Government are taking steps to streamline and simplify procurement procedures, including pre-qualification, in order to reduce the cost to businesses in bidding for public sector contracts.

Service Industries: Standards

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons his Department no longer sends letters of congratulations to organisations that have achieved Customer Service Excellence.

Francis Maude: Customer Service Excellence (CSE) encourages public services to drive customer-focused change within their organisation.
	Congratulatory letters to new holders were stopped due to normal embargo procedures when the 2010 general election was called. Certification bodies were informed of this in advance.
	As with all public services, the Government are continuing to review its priorities on how we deliver more with less. CSE is part of this Comprehensive Spending Review process and decisions on congratulatory letters will be considered alongside other matters relating to the way in which the scheme is run and managed.
	We will announce our conclusions on this in due course.

Sir Philip Green

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what terms and conditions Sir Philip Green was appointed to lead the Government's efficiency review; and whether Sir Philip has authority to instruct civil servants assigned to the review team.

Francis Maude: Sir Philip Green has been appointed by the Prime Minister to lead an external efficiency review into Government spending. The role is unpaid. Sir Philip is supported in this work by officials from the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. The nature of Sir Philip's role is not one in which he would be required to instruct officials.

Statistics

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations he has received on the effect on public confidence in official statistics of ceasing the practice of providing access to official statistical releases to Ministers and their advisers prior to publication.

Francis Maude: I have received no such representations.

Statistics

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will  (a) accept and  (b) implement the recommendations of the UK Statistics Authority on pre-release access to official statistics.

Francis Maude: The Government have recently reviewed the policy on pre-release access to official statistics and after careful consideration it has decided to continue the current arrangements. I wrote to Sir Michael Scholar, chair of the UK Statistics Authority, on 27 July to inform him of Government's decision. I have placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Unemployment: Brentford

Mary Macleod: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children were living in workless households in Brentford and Isleworth constituency in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 21 September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many children were living in workless households in Brentford and Isleworth constituency in (a) 2005, (b) 2007 and (c) 2010. 16196
	It is not possible to provide reliable information on the Brentford and Isleworth constituency because of small sample sizes for the specific level of geographic detail required.

Unemployment: Young People

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of unemployed people were aged between 18 and 24 years on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of unemployed persons were between 18 and 24 years on the most recent date for which figures are available. (15448)
	For the period May-July 2010 it was estimated from the Labour Force Survey that 728,000 people aged between 18 and 24 years were unemployed in the UK. This is 29.5 per cent of all unemployed persons aged 16 and over.